THE GOSPEL 



IN THE 



BOOK OF NUMBERS 



REV. LEWIS R. DUNN, D.D. 



AUTHOR OF 



The Mission of the Spirit, Holiness to the Lord, The Angels of God^ 
Sermons on the Higher Life, etc. 



9EC 121889,;; 



jV£W YORK: HUNT & EA TON 

CINCINNA TI: CRANSTON & STOWE 

i88q 



•f2 > S\' Z - t ' S 



Copyright, 1889, by 

H U NT & EATON, 

New York. 



PREFACE 



The question will at once be asked, Is there any 
Gospel in this book? In taking the affirmative of 
this question, we wish to say that we do not think 
that the Gospel is in this book as it is in that of 
Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. It certainly is not 
here historically. It certainly is not a record of 
what Christ said or did. No such assumption is 
made ; nor do we mean to say that the people read- 
ing this book, at the time of its first publication, or 
in the ages subsequently, up to the period of the 
coming of Christ, read the Gospel in it as clearly as 
we can. The truth shone upon their minds dimly 
and through many clouds. But who can say that 
the Gospel is not here ? It undoubtedly is here in 
type and symbol, in rite and ceremony, in proph- 
ecy and in illustration. So it is referred to in gos- 
pel and in epistle by Christ and his apostles. Was 
not this, with the other parts of the five books of 
Moses, with the Psalms and prophets, the great 
text-book of the apostles and first preachers of the 
word ? Did not Peter say to Cornelius and others, 
who had come together to hear him, " To him give 
all the prophets witness, that through his name 
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission 



4 PREFACE. 

of sins?" But, certainly, the prophets nowhere 
give utterance to such a form of words, and their 
Jewish readers never understood them to say this. 
And so we say, the Gospel is in this book. Not, it 
is true further, in all its enumerations and historical 
records, but largely in many of them. So impressed 
have we been with this fact that we have been led 
to write these words. It may be, doubtless will be, 
that many will not fully agree with us in some of our 
supposed illustrations. It may be that with so much 
of the radiance of the Gospel shining on our path 
some of its light may be introduced from without, 
and not so clearly appear within. But in most of 
the types and illustrations adduced we shall hope to 
carry our readers along with us, while some, for the 
first time, may behold the heavenly light where they 
have not seen it before. But all will see it beauti- 
fully illustrated, if not typically portrayed, in the 
brazen serpent, in Balaam's prophecies, in the Naz- 
arites, in the support of the ministry, in the lusting 
of the people for flesh, in the holy of holies, in the 
unblemished lamb of the offering, and in the mus- 
tering and marshaling of the" hosts, in the careful 
guardianship of religious institutions, in the bene- 
dictions of the old covenant, in the light of the 
golden candlesticks, in the passover, in the silver 
trumpets, in the laver of regeneration, in the cities 
of refuge, and in the entrance into Canaan. In all 
these particulars the antitype, or substance, or real- 
ity will be found in the Gospel. 

Many, however, have a limited idea of the Gos- 



PREFACE. 5 

pel — what it is and what it records. The general 
idea of the Gospel is, that it is " good news," " glad 
tidings." And so it is. But it is more than this. 
It proclaims an historical Christ, his teachings, and 
his miracles. It proclaims his birth, life, sufferings, 
and death, resurrection and ascension. It shows 
our duty to our fellow-men in the various relations 
of life. It shows us the relations which he sustained 
to the Old Testament Scriptures, and how closely 
they are linked in with the New. It proclaims 
man's character, destiny, and immortality ; and it 
tells of the eternal blessedness of the good, the pure, 
and the holy, and the eternal sorrow of the finally 
impenitent. So the gospel is not only nor merely 
redemptional nor historical, but it covers all man's 
conditions, environments, and hopes. Thus, while 
in this book there is clearly illustrated the wondrous 
plan of salvation by faith, there are also illustrated 
and typified not only man's depravity, in the lep- 
rosy, and man's lust for improper things, the gospel 
call, and the gospel hope, but, further, the zigzag 
course of the Christian toward heaven, his victory 
over his enemies, his vows, the true position of 
woman, man's murmurings, and his sins of ignorance 
and presumption. All these things are parts of the 
Gospel, but amplified and illuminated by its teach- 
ings. It will be seen, therefore, that we have not 
undertaken a hopeless task or a wholly imaginary 
one. And while we shall observe its blessed truths 
gleaming faintly on our sight, we shall not fail to 
notice how truly they are interpreted by the Gos- 



6 PREFACE. 

pel, and how fully they foreshadowed it. Take the 
Book of Numbers out of the Bible and how we 
should fail to understand many things ! How 
could we comprehend the beautiful illustration 
which Christ presented to Nicodemus, and the 
many other things to which we have referred ? 

We therefore earnestly solicit our readers to fol- 
low us carefully through these pages, and to see 
how precious and sparkling are the diamond truths 
which shed their deathless luster on our souls. And 
yet again, while many have well-nigh totally omit- 
ted the reading of this book, or given it only a cur- 
sory glance as they have gone through with the 
reading of the Bible in course, we trust that after 
reading this book again, in the light of the Gospel, 
it will become to them one of the most precious 
portions of the law. Thanking the Christian pub- 
lic for the courtesy which they have extended to 
the author in reading the former books prepared 
and published by him, and for their testimony as to 
the good which they have derived from reading 
them, we send forth this work, with humble confi- 
dence that it will be blest to many who will read it. 

L. R. D. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface 7 

Introduction n 

Israel's Host Mustered 19 

The Lord's Army Marshaled 26 

Priests and Levites 33 

Careful Guardianship of Religious Institutions 43 

The Purity and Sanitation Required in the Camp 47 

The Nazarite 53 

The Benediction of the Old and the New Covenants 6r 

Princes Offering to God 69 

The Light of the Glorious Gospel 76 

Christ Our Passover 86 

Jlver Trumpets — On the March — Hobab 93 
aberah io4 
iriam and Moses 117 

The Spies Searching out the Land 124 

Murmurings 130 

Sins of Ignorance and of Presumption 140 

Korah and his Sin 147 

The Rod that Budded 159 

The Priesthood of Christ Typified 163 

The Laver of Regeneration 168 

Death of Miriam and Aaron 174 

The Brazen Serpent 181 

Balak and Balaam 190 

Balaam and his Work 196 

7 



8 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

His Last Effort 201 

The Results of Balaam's Counsels 208 

The Renumbering of Israel 211 

The Daughters of Zelophehad 215 

The Law of Sacrifice 222 

The Blowing of the Silver Trumpets 227 

Vows 230 

Israel's Victory— The Midianites Destroyed 234 

Resting this Side of the Jordan 241 

That Zigzag Journey 246 

The Division of the Inheritance 252 

The Cities of Refuge Selected 257 

The Woman Question Again 264 



LIST OF AUTHORS AND BOOKS QUOTED FROM. 



Alford, Greek New Testament. 

Birks, Professor, The Exodus of Israel. 

Bleek, Professor, Introduction to Bible Museum. 

Chalmers, Dr., Biography. 

Clarke, Dr. A., Commentary. 

D'Aubigne, History of Reformation. 

Elianus, Church History. 

ELLICOTT, Commentary. 

EUSEBIUS, Church History. 

Ezra, Ibn, Commentary. 

Guyot, Physical Geography. 

Hengstenberg, Commentary. 

Henry, Commentary. 

Horsley, Bishop, Commentary. 

Kitto, Bible Illustrations. 

Laborde, Geographical Commentary on the Books of Exodus 

and Numbers. 
Lange, Commentary. 

Lightfoot, Horse Hebraicse et Talmudicse. 
Lowe-Hudson, Memorial of Captivity of Napoleon. 
Luther, Martin, Table Talk. 
Macrobius, Saturnalia, Book III. 
McCaul, Israelitish Conquest. 
McCheyne, Biography. 

Michaelis, J. D., Commentaries on the Law of Moses. 
Patrick, Bishop, Commentary on Old Testament. 

9 



10 LIST OF AUTHORS AND BOOKS QUOTED FROM. 

Pliny, Biblical Researches. 
Ritter, Comparative Geography of Palestine. 
Robinson, Biblical Researches. 
Sheffington, Notes on Numbers. 
Stanley, Dean, The Exodus of Israel. 
Trench, Archbishop, History of Balaam. 
Tristram, Dr., Bible Commentary. 
Wilson, Mr., "Century," July, 1888. 

Wordsworth, Bishop, Holy Bible with Notes and Illustra- 
tions. 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. Name. 
Two names have been given to this wonderful 
Book. First, by the Hebrews it is called Bemidbar, 
which simply means, " In the desert." The Greek 
version called it Apidpol, and the Latin Vulgate, fol- 
lowing this, Numeri, in view of its numbering the 
children of Israel immediately after the exodus and 
before they entered into the land of promise. 

II. Its Chronology and Antiquity. 

There is no difficulty whatever in understanding 

its chronology. It begins, with the command to 

Moses to number the people, " on the first day of 

the second month, in the second year after they 

were come out of the land of Egypt." It closes 

with an account of the death of Aaron and Moses. 

The death of Aaron occurred (chap, xxxiii, 38) " in 

the fortieth year after the children of Israel had 

come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of 

the fifth month." This was exactly thirty-eight 

years and three months. Some few events occurred 

thereafter within a few months, so that no more 

than thirty-nine years are covered by the period 

embraced in this book. 

11 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

As to its antiquity, this can also be readily shown. 
Scarcely any other book of the law is more abun- 
dantly confirmed in its antiquity than this. The 
Book of Joshua presents a fullness of evidence on 
this line. It would be useless to quote these refer- 
ences in an introductory notice of this book. We 
shall merely give the places where they are found, 
leaving it with the reader to verify the reference : 
Josh, i, 7; ii, 10; v, 6 ; xvii, 4; xxii, 17. Also, in 
1 Sam. xv, 6, 29 ; xxx, 7, 8 ; Psa. lxxviii, 16 ; cvi, 28 ; 
Jer. xlviii, 45 ; Amos ii, 9 ; Obad., verses 4, 19. 

In the New Testament the following passages 
are adduced as a confirmation of its antiquity and 
authority: John iii, 14-16; Acts xxi, 24; 1 Cor. 
ix, 13; x, 6; Heb. ix, 3 ; 1 Pet. i, 19; 2 Pet. ii, 
15, 16. 

III. Who was its Author. 

The whole Christian Church, with that of the 
Hebrews, is agreed as to the Mosaic authorship of 
this book. Indeed, it could not be otherwise, if 
the book is to be received at all as a part of the 
sacred canon. For we read in the thirty-third 
chapter the following words: " And Moses wrote 
their goings out according to their journeys, by the 
commandment of the Lord." Now, if he did not 
write this book then it is vain and worthless ; no 
one should receive it or regard it as divine. In the 
Book of Joshua the assignment of this book is 
especially made to Moses. Josh, xiii, 14-33 '■> K ^ v > 
3, 4 ; xxi, 2. Now compare these with Num. xxxv, 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

1-4: xviii, 20-24; xxvi, 55; xxxii, 33; xxxiii, 54; 
xxxiv, 13, and you will readily perceive how the 
authorship is thus early ascribed to him. 

IV. Objections to the Authorship of Moses. 

The first is made on the ground of the first census. 
It will be observed that in Exod. xxxviii, 26 there is 
the account of a census having been taken. Also in 
Num. i, 46 the same account occurs, and the same 
numbers are given. The point of difficulty is that 
from six to seven months had elapsed, during which 
quite a large number had reached their twentieth 
year and, on the other side, a number must have 
died. Now, it can scarcely be regarded as probable 
that these numbers exactly answered the one to the 
other ; hence there is an alleged discrepancy. The 
difficulty has been met by saying that the census in 
Exodus and the census in Numbers are precisely the 
same, and this for the following reasons : (1.) The 
time occupied was so brief compared with that of 
the census which David ordered. (2.) There could 
have been no real reason for a second census in so 
short a time. (3.) The tribe of Levi was not, evident- 
ly, included in either census. (4.) Only two number- 
ings of the people are recorded — the first on the 
plains of Sinai, and the second on the steppes of 
Moab. Another reason, given by Ellicott and others, 
is that the enumeration in Exodus was made for the 
purpose of securing the atonement money, which 
was required for the service of the tabernacle and em- 
ployed in its erection. No recognition was made in 



U INTRODUCTION. 

this census of the numbers in the individual tribes, 
so that the census recorded in the first chapter of 
Numbers was made for military purposes only, or 
mainly, and therefore embraced more definitely the 
tribes, with their respective numbers. 

Another objection is made on the ground of the 
number of the first-born. 

The entire number of males is estimated at about 
nine hundred thousand, or one million ; a proportion 
this of one to forty, or forty-four — allowing the 
figures to remain at 22,273 — for the first-born. Two 
solutions of this difficulty have been presented : 
(1.) That the command contained in Exod. xviii, 2 
respecting the sanctification of the first-born was 
prospective, and that the census of the first-born 
comprised only those who were born between the 
date of the exodus and the beginning of the first 
month of the year which followed it. (2.) That the 
census included only the first-born among those who 
were under twenty years of age at the time at 
which the general census was taken. The first, and 
most probable, of these solutions, is based upon the 
reckoning of the first-born of the cattle. This cer- 
tainly must have been prospective. It is evident 
that the male Levites of all ages bore nearly the 
same proportion as the first-born of the sons of the 
Israelites to the entire number of the other tribes. 

" The Levites 22,000, and the first-born 22,273, 
are nearly equal to one-fortieth of the probable 
total of males in the twelve tribes, for one-fortieth 
of 900,000 is 23,500. This, at first sight, requires in 



IN TROD UC TIOM. 15 

every family, or for each mother, the enormous and 
incredible amount of forty sons and forty daughters. 
But the true comparison is with non-adult males 
under twenty years; and this reduces the number 
to thirteen and one third of each sex. Again, it is 
the first-born males, and not eldest sons who had 
an elder sister, which alone are numbered ; and this 
reduces the number to one half, or six and two 
thirds of either sex. But the mean number of chil- 
dren who survive at all the ages from o to 20, com- 
pared with all the births, are two thirds. Hence 
the probably surviving first-born would be two 
thirds for the whole period, and the number of sons 
and daughters in each family is reduced to four and 
four ninths, only with the condition that those who 
died in infancy are not reckoned." * 

V. HOW COULD THIS MULTITUDE LIVE IN THE WIL- 
DERNESS ? 

" There were nearly two millions of people, and 
the place of their sojourn for nearly forty years was 
the Sinaitic Peninsula." It may be said to those 
making the objection : You do not know what was 
the condition of this peninsula at that period. Again, 
they were not in this place forty years ; but only 
about fourteen or fifteen months. Then again it 
must not be forgotten that they were miraculously 
supplied with food and water. True, the opponents 
of this book do not believe in miracles. But none 
of these books could or would stand with the mirac- 

* Professor Birks, The Exodus of Israel, p. 75. second ed., 1863. 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

ulous element. divorced from them. They stand or 
fall in, or separate from, this element. It is im- 
possible to deny the existence of this element. 
Did not the manna fall for forty years upon their 
encampment ? Did not the water gush forth from 
the flinty bosom of the rock? Were not quail 
furnished in abundance for them by the same Al- 
mighty agency? Who can doubt the especial 
forthputting hand of the Lord for their main- 
tenance and support ? All along the ages proph- 
ets and psalmists, Christ and his apostles, tell of 
the mighty wonders wrought for them by Jeho- 
vah's arm. 

Then again, there were mines in that peninsula 
which were at one time worked by a considerable 
number of people, which made it necessary for a 
large amount of food to be furnished for their sus- 
tenance. Furthermore, there were tribes of people 
on every hand, from whom supplies of food could 
be obtained for money, or gold and silver. And 
of this they had a very considerable sum. There 
were, also, many places where pasturage could be 
found for flocks. Dean Stanley says, " that the 
plain at the foot of Mount Sinai," which Dr. Colenso 
represents as one of the most desolate parts of the 
whole peninsula, " is one of the chief centers of veg- 
etation in the whole district." With these environ- 
ments, and with the providence of almighty God, 
there is no difficulty in crediting the fact of their 
support for forty long years while traversing even 
" that great and terrible wilderness." 



INTRODUCTION. 77 

VI. Several Minor Objections. 

We can only give a bare reference to these. 
They are unworthy of a more specific notice. For 
instance, that which relates to the tithes, the pun- 
ishment of death inflicted upon the Sabbath- 
breaker, the references made to both sides of the 
Jordan as " beyond," or " on the other side ; " the 
use of the word prophet in this book, whereas in 
Sam. ix, 6, it is said " the prophet was formerly 
called a seer:" the one which is made to Num. 
xii, 3, that " the man Moses was very meek, above 
all the men which were upon the face of the earth," 
and to the insufficiency of time which is allotted to 
the transactions of the fortieth year. Whoever 
wishes to see these fully answered can do so by 
consulting Lange, Ellicott, Professors Birks and 
McCaul, Hengstenberg, The Speaker's Commentary, 
Kitto, Henry, Dr. A. Clarke, Lightfoot, Bishop Pat- 
rick's Commentary on Numbers, Bishop Horsley's 
Notes on Numbers, Skeffington, J. D. Lowe, Bleek s 
Introduction to Old Testament Biblical Museum, etc., 
and other writers upon this book. 

There is really no book of the Old Testament 
upon which we can rely with greater confidence 
than on this. It stands forth as a great monumental 
pile before the eyes of the nations, written all 
over with the story of God's wonderful care over 
his people, of his justice in the punishment of their 
sins, and of his mercy in bringing them at last to 
the goodly land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

Jacob. And we shall see, as we read these pages, 
how the Gospel is illustrated and its truths con- 
firmed in this book. How in the pillar of cloud 
and of fire, in the abundant supply of manna and 
water, the report of the spies, in Caleb and Joshua, 
in the " fiery serpents," and the " brazen serpent," 
the non-admission of Moses into the land of prom- 
ise, and the appointment of Joshua — saviour, de- 
liverer — to bring in the people, and the cities of 
refuge, three on this side Jordan and three on that, 
there are found most beautiful illustrations of the 
divine economy and types and foreshadowings of its 
glorious truths which we trust will make us ever 
hereafter to more fully appreciate this remarkable 
book. 



ISRAEL'S HOST MUSTERED. 



Chapter i, Verses 1-47. — Israel has left Egypt 
forever ; a mighty host with all its families and 
all their movable goods. With them, also, is a 
" mixed multitude " of hangers-on ; Egyptians and 
other nationalities allured by hopes of gain and 
impelled by the excitement of the proposed jour- 
ney. It was, in a sense, a tumultuous host, without 
order or discipline. At the writing of this book 
two years have passed, and the time has now come 
for them to be mustered in as the Lord's host. 
This work is to be done thoroughly. No one above 
twenty years old and upward is to be excluded, 
and no one under this age is to be enrolled. Those 
who are now mustered are to be held ever ready 
for war. They are to be an army of the Lord, to 
do the Lord's will, and to obey his command. In 
this is beautifully illustrated the teachings of the 
New Testament, in which all the disciples of Christ 
are declared to be soldiers in the Lord's army, 
fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold 
upon eternal life. As such they are to put on the 
whole armor of God, and to stand firm in the day 
of battle. 

1. The order for this enumeration is divine. God 

gave the order, and he appointed the men who 

19 



20 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

should fulfill it. It may be asked, Why does the 
Lord now sanction the doing of this work, and in 
the subsequent ages curse David for doing, sub- 
stantially, the same thing? The answer is two- 
fold : First, it was not the Lord, but Satan, who 
tempted David to number Israel ; and, secondly, it 
was done for the gratification of David's personal 
pride and ambition. Further, it may be said, this 
was done against the protest of the general-in- 
chief of his armies. See I Chron. xxi, 3, 4. 

When God commands it is always safe to obey ; 
but when Satan incites us we are to beware. 
There are several reasons why God commanded this 
muster-roll to be made now. (1.) The promise had 
been made to Abraham of an exceeding great mul- 
tiplication of his seed. Even as " the dust of the 
earth," or as " the stars of heaven." It was now 
designed that they should see how this promise 
had been fulfilled, even amid the heartless bondage 
of Egypt. And not only that they should see it, 
but also the on-coming ages should know the un- 
changeableness of his word. (2.) This he demand- 
ed should be done carefully and certainly. There 
is nothing easier than to miscalculate numbers, es- 
pecially where the basis of reckoning is loose and 
careless. This has been illustrated in thousands of 
instances. Here he orders this to be done by an 
individual count. They had been numbered before. 
See Exod. xxxviii, 25-26. But they were not then 
numbered by their families, and only for the pur- 
pose of securing the roll-money for the service of 



ISRAEL 'S HOST MUSTERED. 21 

the tabernacle. Now the enrollment was to be as 
definite and exact as it could be made ; and every 
man was to know his family, his tribe, and that the 
government knew him. (3.) It was only those who 
were able to go forth to war who were numbered. 
The blind, the lame, the diseased, and the aged 
were not enrolled. They were unincluded in this 
great muster. It is the Lord's plan in all the ages, 
never to ask a man to do what he is incompetent to 
perform. On the other hand, he expects every 
one to do all he is able to do. 

The men selected for this enrollment were " re- 
nowned men." Heads of their families and their 
tribes — princes in Israel. Sometimes the great, 
the wealthy, and the wise attempt to excuse them- 
selves from the service of God. They are too 
much busied with their own concerns. But when 
God calls, even the very princes of his people are 
to obey. Then he who is greatest among them is 
to be servant of all. And when they engage in his 
service they are not to be envied because of the 
high and honorable position which they are called 
to occupy, but they are to be honored as the 
servants of the Lord. It is, alas ! too seldom that 
he " who wears a coronet," who is high and exalted 
among the nations, " prays." But there are those 
who wear crowns and coronets who do pray and 
labor in Christ's cause. They are worthy standard- 
bearers in the army of the Lord. Like Queen 
Victoria and Lord Shaftesbury, like Coligny and 
Conde, like the electors of Germany in the time of 



22 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

the Reformation, they stand forth doing the Lord's 
will, and accomplishing his purposes. 

We see here, further, with what quickness, readi- 
ness, and promptness this work was done. It would 
seem as if only a few days were consumed in doing 
a work so vast. It took Joab and his assistants ten 
months to do this work in David's time. But then 
they were widely dispersed abroad, while now they 
are near together. Then it was by the inspiration 
of Satan, now by the express order of God. Then 
this work had been done only a few months before, 
and what alterations were necessary had probably 
been made at that time. So the work now was 
comparatively easy. Thus when God calls us to 
do his work there is to be no delay. " The King's 
business requires haste." No one has a right to be 
an indifferent or idle worker. God demands that 
his orders be quickly obeyed. 

Another thought here : only Israelites were to be 
mustered. No one of the mixed multitude is to be 
put upon the rolls. Their part was principally 
done in murmuring, and exciting others to distrust 
and unbelief. They could not be intrusted on the 
army-rolls. They were more ready for a ferment 
than for a fight. No wonder that the immortal 
Washington, on an occasion of great importance 
and peril, said, " Put no one but Americans on 
guard to-night." So God would not allow any one 
but his own people to fight his battles, or to do his 
work. In the numeric record Judah is found to 
have the largest number of men. " This deserves 



• ISRAEL 'S HOST MUSTERED. 23 

notice in connection with the blessing pronounced 
on that tribe in Gen. xlix, '8-12, 'Thou art he 
whom thy brethren shall praise.' " * And so it 
always was. Judah was the grand leader of all the 
princes and tribes of Israel. God designed that he 
should be so, as his was the tribe from which Im- 
manuel was to come. He was " the Lion of the 
tribe of Judah." Other tribes were large, Judah 
was the largest. Others were great, but he was the 
greatest. His banner was always floating eastward, 
and at the head of the columns of those who fought 
in the army of the Lord. So the first rays of the 
morning sun gleamed upon his standard ; and the 
last beams of his setting gilded it with his radiance. 
Judah was the glory and the praise of his brethren, 
and his tribe held the scepter until Shiloh came. 

Ephraim and Manasseh, children of Joseph, were 
nearly as numerous as Judah. But it will be seen 
" that the number of the tribe of Ephraim exceeded 
that of the tribe of Manasseh." Ver. 35. (See Gen. 
xlviii, 19, 20.) The whole number was six hundred 
and three thousand five hundred and fifty. With 
three exceptions, Russia, Germany, and France, 
this is larger than the regular army of any nation 
now on the face of the globe. Of course, the war- 
footing of many other nations is greater than this ; 
but this is an amazing regular army for that day 
and age. But, vast as it was, it was all swallowed 
up in thirty-eight years from this time, because of 
unbelief and sin. Only two of this great number 
* Ellicott. 



24 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

escaped the general destruction ; namely, Caleb and 
Joshua. So multitudes who profess to be soldiers 
in the Lord's army are wasted by death or become 
inefficient and useless. One of the great defects in 
all our Churches is want of organization. Herein 
were the beauty and the strength of this mustering. 
There were twelve divisions, and these were subdi- 
vided into families and persons. No one was un- 
reckoned ; no one was overlooked. The whole 
number of the people, including men, women, and 
children, was probably from two to three millions. 

Verses 47"54- — The Levites, however, were ex- 
empted from this enrollment. In all ages the 
priestly caste of men has been generally free from 
war service ; so the Levites, by the appointment of 
God, were free. To them were committed the spir- 
itual interests of the tribes, the worship and service 
of God, the offering of sacrifices, and the expound- 
ing of the law. " They warred the warfare of the 
tabernacle." When the tabernacle was to be taken 
down, they were to do it ; when it was set up, their 
hands performed the work. No one else was allowed 
to do these things. In this manner their sacredness 
was recognized, and they were kept separate from 
the temporalities of the tribes. They were conse- 
crated to God and his service forever. Thus all 
Christian ministers are to be devoted to him. " No 
man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs 
of this life ; that he may please him who hath chosen 
him to be a soldier." So we think no minister 
should be a soldier, a lawyer, a physician, a business 



ISRAEL 'S HOST MUSTERED. 25 

man, or a farmer. He cannot do these things with- 
out lowering the standard of his calling and materi- 
ally injuring his efficiency. Here, then, we have 
the divine plan. All Israel mustered into the army ; 
all Levites mustered into the service of the sanctu- 
ary. The one acting for protection and defense ; 
the other for beauty and glory. The one cannot 
do without the other. Both are essential to a na- 
tion's prosperity, security, and peace. When every 
Christian is mustered into the Lord's army, and 
panoplied for the fight with the world and sin and 
hell, millennial glory will soon burst over all the 
earth. 



THE LORD'S ARMY MARSHALED. 



Chapter ii, Verse I. — Israel had come out of 
Egypt in rank and file. Already some order had 
prevailed in their movements and encampments. 
Now, however, all was to be reduced to a uniform 
grade ; all the hosts were to be marshaled. They 
still dwelt in tents, and in them they were to con- 
tinue until they reached the land of Canaan. It is 
even so with the Lord's army. They are not at 
home here; they only " lodge awhile in tents be- 
low." But while thus sojourning here they are 
pressing forward through hosts of foes toward the 
land of endless rest. 

But God is a God of order ; and so he would 
have his ancient people move forward orderly. 
" Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by 
his own standard (^, flag, banner, standard)." All, 
it is true, were in one army ; but each was to be by 
his own tribal standard. They would really be 
more united in this way. Is it not even so in the 
Christian Church? In it are various bodies of be- 
lievers, represented by various names ; but it is all 
only one army, one body. And yet each Christian 
is to stand by his own Church, and fight under his 
own standard. It is not at all necessary, or even 

desirable, for the present, that they should all act 
26 



THE LORD'S ARMY MARSHALED. 27 

in a mixed mass or in an organically united body; 
but let them all be united, and live and work and 
fight in the army of the Lord. 

Verse 2. — The ensign was for every family. This 
was a mark of distinction, that every one might know 
in an instant where he was, and whether or not he 
was in his right place. But the tabernacle was to 
be in the midst of them all, in the very heart of the 
camp. Thus it should always be : God in the midst 
of us. This is always the assurance of victory. 
And yet they were not to press upon it, or to come 
too near unto it, lest they should fail to give it that 
reverence which it demanded of them. There must 
be two thousand cubits distance, at least, from the 
holy of holies ; that was near enough for defense, 
and it was far enough away for reverence. This 
was the nearest point which the forefront of their 
armies should take ; while the hindmost part must 
have been several miles away — some think as far as 
twelve miles. As this camp was marshaled, it must 
have presented a beautiful appearance as well as one 
of great strength. No wonder that Balaam, when 
he first beheld this encampment, cried out, " How 
beautiful are thy tents, O Israel." And this now is 
the real glory of the Church of Christ. This, also, 
is its real strength. When John Wesley was dying 
he exclaimed, in the fullness of his joy, " The best 
of all — God is with us." As " the sanctuary of God 
was in the midst of the camp of the Israelites, and 
set forward in the midst of their hosts as they 
marched," so God is represented by the psalmist as 



28 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

being in the midst of his Church. " God is in the 
midst of her ; God shall help her, and that right 
early." So it has been observed, also, that the col- 
location of the tribes was evidently determined in 
accordance with the mutual relationship. The east- 
ern camp was composed exclusively of the sons of 
Leah ; the southern, of her two remaining sons and 
a son of Zilpah, her hand-maid ; the western, of those 
of one of the sons and two grandsons of Rachel ; 
and the northern, of those of the sons of Bilhah and 
the remaining son of Zilpah.* So the natural ties 
should strengthen and confirm those of Christian 
communion. 

Verses 3-32. — But what were these standards ? 
They were probably such as they had seen in 
Egypt, but without their idolatrous emblems. 
"These standards were like an umbrella, or fan- 
like form, made of ostrich feathers, or shawls, lifted 
upon the points of long poles, which were borne, 
either like the sacred central one, on a car, or on 
men's shoulders ; while others might have been 
like the beacon-lights which are set on poles by 
Eastern pilgrims at night." 

Judah's standard had the emblem of a lion ; 
Benjamin's that of a wolf; Dan that of a serpent; 
and Naphtali's that of a hind. Then, again, it has 
been thought that the four principal standards 
represented Judah as a lion; Reuben as a man; 
Joseph as an ox; and Dan as an eagle. It is so in 
our own national standards. The great central 
* Ellicott. 



THE LORD'S ARMY MARSHALED. 29 

banner which floats over all is that of the stars and 
the stripes ; then each State has its own banner, 
and every company and regiment may bear its own 
ensign. It was in this way that whoever saw 
Judah's banner would know where he was, while 
the banner, or ensign of his tribe or family, would 
clearly indicate not only where he belonged but in 
what division he was to fight. Here is the real 
ideal of Christ's army. Over all floats his blood- 
stained banner; while each Church may have its 
own emblem. No one can go where he pleases. 
No one can fight where he lists. All are to move 
in the lines in which divine Providence has placed 
them. This is what the prophet Isaiah foretold. 
Christ is the ensign to which the Gentiles shall 
seek, around which the outcasts of Israel will gather, 
and the dispersed of Judah assemble. 

When the camp set forward, Judah with his lion 
banner took the lead, and Reuben, Ephraim, and 
Dan were to follow him with their tribes. Prob- 
ably Judah and Reuben first went forward, then 
the tabernacle with the Levites, and then came 
Ephraim and Dan. Dan's mighty, war-like host 
brought up the rear. But how important was this 
position ! Stragglers were to be picked up, wily 
foes were to be watched, and lost property was to 
be recovered. God was not only in the midst, and 
the forefront, but he was also their rearward. Dan 
was in the army as much as Judah, and the shadow- 
ing wings of the Almighty were over him and his 
host as they were over Judah and his mighty army. 



§0 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

To us it is very interesting to notice the meaning 
of the names of some of these mighty leaders of 
Israel. Nathanael signifies " the gift of God ; " 
Eliab, "my God a father;" Elizur, "my God a 
rock ; " Shelumiel, " God, my peace ; " Eliasaph, 
" God has added ; " Elishama, " my God has 
heard ; " Gamaliel, " God my reward ; " Pagiel, 
" God has met me." 

So God was remembered in their names as well 
as in his tabernacle. It is further matter of interest 
to consider how that God had not only appointed 
these men, but, also, had assigned their position in 
the army. If Moses had done this, jealousies and 
strife and heart-burnings might have ensued. But 
no blame on these accounts could now be laid on him. 

No event occurs in life without the divine order 
or permission. We are all prone to think that men 
often gain their positions by fraud, or money, or 
human device. And, in a sense, this may be true; 
but God presides over all. He putteth down one 
and raiseth up another. " Those that walk in pride 
he is able to abase." It is always a delightful con- 
templation that God rules ; and either orders all 
things according to the counsel of his will, or per- 
mits what occurs, to show forth his glory. If we 
humbly obey him he will order all our movements 
and direct all our ways. He will assign us our 
proper positions and guide us in the right way. 
And how wonderfully he often does this ! 

The following is probably the plan of the encamp- 
ment of Israel : 



THE LORD'S ARMY MARSHALED. 



31 



DAN. 



ASHER. 



NAPHTALI. 



BENJAMIN 



MANASSEH 



EPHRAIM 



N. 

MERARITES. 



GERSHON 
ITES. 



TABERNACLE 



MOSES. 
AARON. 
8c PRIESTS 



KOHATHITES. 

s 



GAD. 



SIMEON, 



JUOAH. 



ISSACHAR 



ZEBULUN 



REUBEN. 



Thus the army of the Lord was quickly and easily 
marshaled. At the sounding of the silver trumpets 
each division knew when and where to move ; and 
all moved in harmony on their journey, or on the 
battle-field. In like manner the gospel Church is 
encamped in this world ; a great host of Christian 
soldiers, a great company of Christian pilgrims ; and, 
as it is not always for the soldier to expect pleasant 
days and comfortable times, so the Christian ex- 
pects to have often sudden and hard marchings 
over dusty roads, or amid the deepening mud. 
Foes are to be met on every hand, to be struggled 
with and conquered. But the journey is brief, and 
the time of war short. Soon the journey will end 
and soon the battle will be fought. And then will 



82 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

come the Canaan promised — our Father's house, 
with its many mansions — the crown and the palm 
of the victor. How delightful it will be for those 
who have journeyed together, fought together, and 
endured hardness together, to be rewarded and 
crowned together, and to dwell forever an un- 
broken, grand army of victors and conquerors in 
the presence of their Leader and their King ! 



PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 



Chapter iii. Verses 1-40. — Here we have the or- 
ganization and confirmation of the offices of the 
priests and Levites, and their regular appointment 
to their work. All nations have had a priestly or- 
der, and a sacrificial ritual. From the earliest an- 
tiquity to the present hour this is the history of all. 
The Egyptians, among whom Israel had sojourned 
so long, had their priesthood, their sacrifices, 
and temples. In this chapter Jehovah confirms 
the priesthood of Israel, and establishes it until the 
great High-priest himself should come. No nation 
can long exist without some type or form of relig- 
ion. The human heart demands it ; its necessities, 
wants, and woes cry out for it. The priesthood of 
every land has generally been no small part of that 
land. They have stood foremost among its rulers 
and chief men, and their counsel in peace and in 
war has been a powerful factor in all their interests. 
No man can estimate this force in the history of the 
past ; no one can understand its power at the pres- 
ent. The duties of their office are multiplied and 
arduous. Then in nearly all lands — and this was 
especially true in the land of Judea — and now in the 
wilderness, they have most carefully guarded against 

interference and intrusion upon their rights and 
3 S3 



34 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

privileges. God threw around this office his most 
solemn injunctions, and his almighty guardianship. 
No one was to approach the tabernacle for service 
but them ; and if the stranger came nigh he was to 
be put to death. In a subsequent period, even when 
King Uzziah came near to offer a sacrifice, he was 
smitten with leprosy and retired from the courts of 
the temple in disgrace. It is said that since this 
event in the history of Uzziah a sword was hung 
over the door of the temple, on which was en- 
graved ; " The stranger that cometh nigh shall be 
put to death." These priests were consecrated, their 
hands were filled, to minister in its holy duties. 

You will observe that " the name of Aaron was 
used first, not only because he was the elder brother, 
but also because the ministry of Moses was restricted 
to his own person, and his sons are merely classed 
among the rest of the Levitical families in I Chron. 
xxiii, 14 ; whereas the office of Aaron was perpetu- 
ated in the persons of his descendants. Hence we 
find no mention made in this place of the sons of 
Moses, but only those of Aaron."* 

But the eldest sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, 
not mindful of the high and holy duties of their 
office, offered strange fire before the Lord in the wil- 
derness of Sinai. The record of this, in Lev. x, 
1-7, is a sad comment on the result of their derelic- 
tion of duty and their failure to recognize the re- 
sponsibility of their position. How many profess- 
edly Christian ministers of the present day and of 
* Ellicott. 



PR IE STS A ND LEVI TE S. 35 

the past ages have acted in a similar way ! They 
have offered strange fire in the pulpits and altars of 
the Church. In sermons, sacraments, and prayers 
their services have not only been unacceptable to 
the people, but perverse and rebellious in the sight 
of God, contrary to the spirit of Christ, opposed to 
his teachings, and deleterious in their effects. Such 
ministers are often arrested here upon earth, and 
have met a fearful doom ; but they will have to 
pass a strict account at the bar of the Master for 
their unlawful and sinful practices in the perform- 
ance of their sacred duties. 

The ministry of the Christian religion, if it is any 
thing, is a holy office, and the men who fill it should 
be holy men. They are to " offer up spiritual sacri- 
fices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ our 
Lord." It is, indeed, a fearful thing for the minis- 
try to be destitute of a high sense of their responsi- 
bility to God. It is said of these unfortunate and 
wicked men that " they had no children." This 
was fortunate for Israel. And yet, while they had 
no children, they have had representatives in every 
age, and, we fear, in every Church. But notwith- 
standing the strictness of the divine law, see how 
the sons of Eli acted in their office ; and read how 
frequently the prophets charged Israel with acting 
contrary to the will and command of the law. Na- 
dab and Abihu disobeyed their father and their 
father's God, and were cut off from the priesthood. 
Eleazar and Ithamar, on the other hand, ministered 
"in the sight of Aaron their father." Young minis- 



86 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

ters are greatly blessed when they can begin their min- 
istry in the sight of the aged pastors of the Church. 
Their wisdom and counsels, their teachings and ex- 
ample are of the highest importance to them. Many 
ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church owe, 
under God, all they are to the counsels, restrictions, 
advice, and example of the fathers in the Church. 
Perhaps no training of ministers ever equaled that 
of our early Methodist and Presbyterian brethren. 
The candidates were speedily, and sometimes sharp- 
ly, corrected for whatever was wrong or unseemly in 
their preaching or their pastoral work; and lessons, 
never to be forgotten, were often given them. Of 
course, this method of personal oversight and in- 
struction is not now available ; and our theological 
seminaries are now called upon to do this work of 
preparation as best they can ; but these institu- 
tions can never fully compensate for this training 
for the work of the ministry, by those who were 
well-skilled and of long experience, in the times 
gone by. 

It is certainly matter of rejoicing that the minis- 
try of the present day is so much better trained than 
that of a few centuries past. D'Aubigne tells us that 
in the fifteenth century " the superior clergy them- 
selves were sunk in the grossest ignorance. A bish- 
op of Dunfeldt congratulated himself that he had 
never studied Greek or Hebrew. The monks as- 
serted that all heresies arose from these languages, 
but especially from the Greek. i The New Testa- 
ment/ said one of them, ' is a book full of serpents 



PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 37 

and thorns/ 'Greek,' continued he, * is a modern 
language, but recently invented, and against which 
we must be on our guard. As to Hebrew, my dear 
brethren, it is certain that whoever studies it imme- 
diately becomes a Jew.' Thomas Linacer, a reput- 
edly learned and celebrated divine, had never read 
the New Testament. Drawing near his end (in 
1524) he called for it, but quickly threw it from him 
with an oath, because his eye had caught the words, 
1 Because I say unto you, Swear not at all/ and 
said, ' Either this is not the Gospel or we are not 
Christians.' A certain doctor of the Sorbonne ac- 
knowledged that he had not read the New Testa- 
ment until after he was fifty years old. Albert, 
Archbishop of Metz in 1530, accidentally met with 
a Bible, opened it, and having read some pages, 
said : ' Indeed, I do not know what this book is ; 
but this I see, that every thing in it is against us.' 
Carblastatius, afterward one of the Reformers, said 
he had never read the Bible until eight years after 
he had taken his highest degree in divinity." These 
are startling facts, and no wonder that the night of 
ages was so dark. Christ's ministers need to under- 
stand his Gospel, that they may offer no strange 
fire upon the altars of his Church, and give no pois- 
oned bread from its pulpits. 

The whole tribe of Levi was given to assist the 
priests. When the destroying angel passed over 
the doomed land of Egypt all the first-born of that 
land were destroyed ; but none of the first-born of 
Israel perished. Now the Lord required the conse- 



38 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

cration of the first-born of Israel to himself, and in 
lieu of them accepts the tribe of Levi. The reason 
for this is as follows, ver, 13 : " Because all the first- 
born are mine ; for on the day that I smote all the 
first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me 
all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast : mine 
they shall be: I am the Lord," Our first-born, the 
brightest and best of our sons, should be cheerfully 
given up to God for the ministry or the missionary 
work, if the Lord calls them thereto. Nothing 
should be withheld from him. True, there is seem- 
ingly no money in this ; they may be obliged to 
meet poverty, want, trial, and sorrow ; but their re- 
ward will be glorious and eternal. Too often, alas ! 
the best of our sons are withheld from the Lord, 
even when he may call them, and they are set apart 
for business purposes or professions ; while it is 
thought the humbler and poorer will answer for the 
work of the Lord. So it has usually been that the 
ranks of the ministry have been filled from the 
poorer classes of men. God has chosen them, and 
crowned them with honor and glory. 

To each of the divisions of the tribe especial 
work was given. McCheyne has aptly and beauti- 
fully illustrated this as follows : 

" The Kokat kites upon their shoulders bear 
The holy vessels, covered with all care ; 
The Gershonites receive an easier charge, 
Two wagons full of cords and curtains large ; 
Merari's sons four ponderous wagons load 
With boards and pillars of the house of God." 



PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 39 

So in the Church of Christ. All are not required 
to do the same work. Nor is any one required to 
do all things. There is a just division of labor. 
Some have a higher, more responsible, and more 
awful charge than others. But all have every thing 
to do which they are capable of performing. 
No one should be troubled because he has not 
higher and greater duties to perform. God knows 
best, in his great field, where to assign our labor, 
and to command our service. Gershon could not 
do the work of Kohath, nor Kohath the work of 
Merari. Each must do his own. Not only so. 
Every one has some burdens to bear. It is not 
given us to go burdenless through this world. 
Every one has his own burden ; clearly and distinct- 
ively his own. It may not be what he would have 
chosen or desired, but it will be just such a one 
as the Lord sees is best for him to bear. We may 
look at others, and say, " Ah, they have no such 
burdens to bear as I have." But did we know all, 
we should see that the very ones whom we might 
envy are bearing heavier burdens than we have ever 
known. Our burdens are seldom so heavy but that 
we can help others to bear their own. Hence the 
divine injunction, " Bear ye one another's burdens, 
and so fulfill the law of Christ." And yet, in the 
same chapter, he says, " Let every man bear his own 
burden." Yet, after all this is said, how sweet it is 
to read, " Cast thy burden on the Lord, and he will 
sustain thee." It is blessed, indeed, to bear bur- 
dens for the Lord, burdens of duty and service. 



40 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

Merari's work seemed much harder than that of 
Gershon, but neither complained. All were only 
too glad, and felt themselves to be too highly hon- 
ored, to work for the Lord. So may it always be 
with us ! 

Verses 40-51. The enumeration. Now the test 
has to be made as to the number of the first-born 
in Israel, and the number of the Levites. And 
how astonishing the results are ! The first-born of 
Israel number 22,273, the Levites number 22,000. 
Here is only a difference of 273 ! Wonderful ar- 
rangement this ! These 273 were redeemed by the 
payment of the prescribed amount, which resulted 
in 1,365 shekels, and these were devoted to Aaron 
and his sons. Here is the great idea of substitution. 
We are led at once to consider the objection which 
is based upon the alleged disproportion between the 
number of the first-born males, namely, 22,273, ano ^ 
that of the entire number of the males, which is esti- 
mated at about 900,000: a representation of one to 
forty, or forty-four. Two solutions of this difficulty 
appear to be specially entitled to consideration. The 
first is that the command contained in Exod. xiii, 2, 
concerning the sanctification of the first-born was 
prospective, and that the census of the first-born 
comprised only those who were born between the 
date of the exodus and the beginning of the first 
month of the year which followed it. The second 
is that the census included only the first-born 
among them who were under twenty years of age 
at the time at which the general census was taken. 



PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 41 

And this is illustrated by the mode of reckoning 
the first-born of the cattle. This second solution 
is that the number of the first-born sons includes 
only those who were under twenty years of age at 
the exodus, and who had not been included in the 
earlier census. This is sustained by the fact 
(i.) That the phraseology employed, " number the 
first-born of the males of [or belonging to] the chil- 
dren of Israel," Num. iii, 40, appears to refer to 
those who, like the Levites, had not been numbered 
already, and not to the children of Israel them- 
selves, who had been already numbered, and who 
had already paid the half shekel, every man a ran- 
som for his soul. Exod. xxx, 12. (2.) That the 
judgment inflicted upon the Egyptians appears to 
have been limited to the lowest generation, and 
not to have included father, grandfather, or great- 
grandfather, when such happened to be first-born 
sons. 

But Christ was taken by the Father in place of 
the world. His Church is " the Church of the first- 
born." They are his, as Levi was. They had no 
other inheritance but in him. They were the 
Lord's servants. Only a few cities in Israel were 
given them ; for the Lord was their portion. They 
did his work, and his almighty guardianship was 
ever over them. And yet, small as was their num- 
ber, they were exalted by being thus employed. 
They were the cream of Israel's hosts, the leaders 
of Israel's thought, the spiritual workers for their 
interests. No man serves the Lord for naught. 



42 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

To the Levites were given the first-fruits of th% 
earth, and the finest of the wheat, of lambs, and 
of goats. They never wanted while they were 
faithful to God. So Christ says to his Church, 
' k Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the 
world. Amen." 



CAREFUL GUARDIANSHIP OF RELIGIOUS 
INSTITUTIONS. 



Chapter iv, Verses 1-4. — When the whole num- 
ber of the Levites was taken, they were not all at 
once to be employed in the service of the taber- 
nacle. It was only those who had reached the age 
of thirty years who were to engage in this work. 
It has been supposed by some that five years were 
spent in preparation for this service, and that it is 
in this way that the apparent discrepancy between 
this verse and Chap, viii, 24, where the age for en- 
tering upon the service is fixed at twenty-five, is to 
be reconciled. No mere novice could do this work. 
Every one must be thoroughly taught and trained. 

We have no idea that these periods have any 
reference to an entrance upon, or dismissal from, 
the work of the Christian ministry. It is true that 
John the Baptist, the morning-star of the Christian 
dispensation, entered upon his work at this age. 
Christ was thirty years old when he began his min- 
istry. Sometimes, however, the necessities of the 
Christian Church have compelled very young and 
comparatively uncultured men to enter into its 
service. Some, indeed, as early as sixteen or sev- 
enteen years of age have commenced this life-work, 
and have continued in it until after seventy years 



44 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

have passed over them. Now these have been ex- 
ceptional cases, and some may think the course 
pursued unwarrantable ; but the large proportion 
of Christian ministers begin their work before they 
have reached thirty years of age. The Christian 
Church has never regarded itself as limited to this 
period in employing its ministers. Indeed, at the 
present period, there is a great demand for young 
ministers, very young ministers in many instances, 
while men of age and experience are rejected. 

God wants his ministers to be well fitted for 
their work, and not to engage in it until they are 
thoroughly prepared. So with the time of leav- 
ing the more active and responsible duties of the 
ministry. It is not required of Christian ministers 
that they retire from their work when they are fifty 
years of age. Many, indeed, are effective until 
after they are seventy years of age. The great JDr. 
Adam Clarke, the author of the Commentary, was 
convinced that this Levitical arrangement was 
binding upon him ; and so he would not receive 
any regular appointment after he had reached that 
age. I know of no other instance of this class. 
No doubt many ministers continue to preach 
longer than their physical or mental abilities would 
warrant. Two reasons may be given for this : 
First, because they are unable to live without the 
salary which their services may continue to com- 
mand ; or, secondly, their dislike for any other po- 
sition than the pulpit. Like the aged minister who, 
when compelled by advancing years to give up his 






CARE OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. 45 

work, said, " Now I shall have to go to church and 
hear preaching." 

One thing is very evident : the years between 
thirty and fifty are, generally, the best of any man's 
life. His position, his influence, his character are 
all formed ; and, as a rule, he never advances fur- 
ther than he has reached at fifty years. Of course, 
there are grand and noble exceptions of men who 
spend from fifty to sixty years in the ministry ; but 
these exceptions are singular and rare. 

The Care of the Tabernacle in Marching through 
the Wilderness. 

Verses 4-46. — To the Kohathites the most 
solemn charge belonged. But they were not 
allowed to handle or cover up the vessels of the 
altar. They were only to bear or carry them. 
Aaron and his sons were to arrange all for trans- 
portation ; to take down the vail, to cover the ark 
of the testimony with it, to put thereon the cov- 
ering of badgers' skins, to spread over it a cloth 
wholly of blue, and put to the staves thereof. So 
all things were to be covered by them, and after- 
ward the sons of Kohath were to come and bear 
them. But they were not to touch any of these 
holy vessels, "lest they die." Ver. 15. How awe- 
inspiring were these preparations for removal ! 
True, these were nothing in themselves but articles 
of wood and gold and silver and brass ; but they 
belonged to God, they were employed in his 
service, and so demanded the most careful hand- 



46 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

ling and the most devout regard. And then how 
carefully did God regard the life of the Levites ! 
Care was to be taken that they were not to come 
near to, and not even to gaze upon, these holy things. 
They saw not what they carried. We know that in a 
subsequent age, when the Bethshemites looked into 
the ark of the Lord, " He smote of the people 
fifty thousand and three score and ten men." 
I Sam. vi, 19. How different, in a most important 
sense, is all this in the dispensation of mercy and 
love under which we live ! Christ, the great Author 
of our salvation, has been seen of men, and been 
handled by them. His disciples saw him ; ate, 
drank, walked and talked with him. And even his 
enemies. How wrongfully they handled him ! 
Now we are invited to " come boldly to the throne 
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace 
to help in time of need." Kohath was not only to 
bear this burden when the tabernacle was taken 
down, but also when it was set up. Peter speaks 
of " putting off his tabernacle ; " and Paul says, our 
" earthly house of this t. bernacle will be dis- 
solved." There were two parts of the tabernacle, 
the outward and the inward. The inward part rep- 
resents our spiritual and immortal nature, which 
is first covered by the blood, and borne away by 
the angels to the heavenly world : and the second, 
or outward, is that which is dissolved, taken down, 
and goes into dust ; but which is to be set up 
again in the day of resurrection, reconstructed, and 
glorified. 



THE PURITY AND SANITATION REQUIRED 
IN THE CAMP. 



Chapter v, Verses 1-5.— The tribes now had 
been mustered and marshaled, and the work of the 
Levites had been designated. Now attention is 
given to the encampment. Nothing must defile or 
pollute it. No leprous person, or one defiled by 
contact with the dead, must remain in it. All know 
that the sanitary condition of camps and cities is a 
matter of the greatest importance. Too little at- 
tention is generally given to it, but it is vital to the 
health and the purity of any community. No camp 
or city is prepared for its work, or can be kept 
healthful, unless this work is attended to. The un- 
checked roaming of persons who have contagious 
diseases should be prohibited, and the accumulation 
of filth and dirt must be avoided. No wonder that 
death lurks in many of our cities in all their streets 
and alleys. Fevers, pneumonia, cholera, small-pox 
and diphtheria are the fearful and direful results of 
such neglect. So divine Providence clearly foresaw 
what was necessary for the camp of Israel. In it 
there were millions of souls — men, women, and chil- 
dren, besides their cattle and asses. The accumula- 
tion of filth and dirt in such a multitude would be 
great. Then, too, lepers would be more or less nu- 
merous. Here was a wide provision for all these 

47 



48 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

things. And how weighty the reason for all this ! 
God says, " For I dwell in the midst of the camp." 

So must it be in the Christian Church. God 
means that his Church shall be pure. But O, how 
much of moral leprosy is in the midst of it ! How 
much of impenitency, unbelief, inward and outward 
sin ! What low ideas of morality, justice, mercy, 
and truth ! How many things are done which are 
offensive in the sight of heaven ! Theater-going, 
card-playing, promiscuous dancing, dishonesty, cor- 
ruption, and neglect of religious duty ! It is to be 
feared that some of our churches are little better 
than pest-houses, which often breed more disease 
and death than the world around. Paul says, 
" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and 
that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ! If any man 
defile [destroy] the temple of God, him shall God 
destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which tem- 
ple ye are." I Cor. iii, 16, 17. So he directs that 
" the fornicator be delivered unto Satan for the de- 
struction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in 
the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. ... A little leaven 
leaveneth the whole lump. Purge out therefore the 
old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are un- 
leavened." The Church of Christ on earth is to be 
in a goodly and important sense an image of the 
Church above. Nothing unholy or unclean, noth- 
ing that defileth or maketh a lie, can ever enter 
there. 

Verses 5-10. — The Law of Restitution. Some 
have thought that this should be rendered a " sin 



PURITY AND SANITATION IN THE CAMP. 49 

against man." So the Rev. Ver. renders verse 7, 
"he shall make restitution," instead of "recom- 
pense his trespass." Thus, in verse 8, " If the man 
have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made 
for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is to be 
made to the Lord shall be the priest's;" ver. 10, 
" and it shall be his." Defrauding and overreach- 
ing, unjust dealings in weight and measure, corrupt 
transactions in which our brother man is injured, 
are among the most common sins of our race. Now 
when a man is made conscious of his sins, and de- 
sires to be made right in the sight of God, what is 
he to do? The first thing is to confess his sin unto 
God, and, if possible, also to his brother whom he 
has injured. The next thing he is to do is to make 
restitution — such restitution as he may be able to 
make. Sometimes it occurs that a person thus awak- 
ened to a sense of his sins has not the ability 
fully to restore that which he once unjustly ob- 
tained. What is he then to do? He is to go to 
the injured party if he is still living, if not, to his 
nearest kinsman, and confess his guilt and state his 
condition and his willingness to do any thing in 
his power to give satisfaction. If he thus does all 
he can the Lord will forgive him, and in ninety-nine 
cases out of a hundred the parties interested will 
also forgive him. But if he is able to make full res- 
titution he must do it, if it takes every dollar he is 
worth and reduces him to poverty. We have 
known a man who failed in business, and by his so 
doing many were injured. Subsequently he began 



50 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OE NUMBERS. 

again to prosper, and with his prosperity came the 
conviction of his indebtedness and his duty to 
his creditors. He promised the Lord that if he 
would continue to prosper him he would pay every 
one of them with interest. And so he traveled 
hundreds of miles, wrote numerous letters, and 
made different inquiries for his creditors. Some 
had died, others had gone far away, and for a while 
he knew not where they had gone. But one by 
one he found them out, and paid them in full with 
added interest. It took him years to do it, but 
he did it fully and faithfully. But suppose that 
no one is living to whom this restitution should 
be made ; what then? The answer to the Jew was, 
Give it to the priest. To Christians it would be, 
it must be given to God, for the good of his cause 
and for the interests of humanity. The money 
certainly does not belong to the party who has 
done the wrong. He has no righteous or legal 
claim to it. It will be a curse to him and his 
family if he keeps it. Restitution must be made. It 
sometimes has been said of late concerning men 
who have been thought guilty of crooked and wicked 
transactions, that they have endeavored, instead of 
doing right to those whom they have wronged, to 
build a church or theological seminary, or to do 
some other good thing. This charge should not 
be made inconsiderately. If the person is unable 
to find those whom he has wronged, this, certainly, 
would be God's method of settling the business. 
This might be called substitutionary restitution. 






PURITY AND SANITA TION IN THE CAMP. 51 

Like the man in New York city who got rich by 
making short weight in his coal. God's Spirit got 
hold of his heart, and he was brought to see his 
condition. At first he thought, in view of his sin 
and the impossibility of his making restitution, that 
he never could be a Christian. The persons whom 
he had defrauded, in many instances, were dead ; 
others were unknown. What should he do ? He 
called upon ministers and counseled with them. 
He asked them if they thought the substitution of 
a gift to the poor would be a proper restitution. 
They advised him to try it. He accordingly gave 
a large donation, more than equal, he thought, to 
his unjust gains, and then sought forgiveness from 
the Lord. He was happily converted, and lived 
long a prominent and useful member of the Church. 
But if restitution had not been made God would 
not have forgiven him. Matthew Henry well 
says : " What is not our property will never be our 
profit." 

Verses II-31. — The Law of Jealousy. There is 
nothing which tends more fully to embitter the 
"marital cup than jealousy. Every thing which 
would inspire it or occasion it should be most care- 
fully guarded against. When it takes possession of 
a man or woman it is cruel as the grave. This de- 
tective policy was peculiarly and necessarily Jewish. 
There is such a thing as trial by red water among 
the tribes of Western Africa, which bears a resem- 
blance to this, and which is still in use. The Jew- 
ish fathers say that if the woman acknowledged her 



52 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

guilt, and said, " I am defiled," she was not put to 
death, but divorced, and thus lost her dowry ; but 
if she said " I am pure," the trial proceeded. It is 
useless for us to follow the details of this law, but 
there is one part which it is well to consider. Jew- 
ish authorities state if the husband had at any time 
defiled the marriage-bed God did not thus right 
him against his injured wife. It was well that there 
was such a law for the sake of pure, innocent woman. 
If she were innocent, the fact would be instantly 
and clearly known ; if guilty, her punishment would 
be inflicted. How many women at the present day 
would be proven guilty if such an arrangement were 
in use ! But, unfortunately for the best interests of 
the nation, this law became very loosely practiced, 
and, finally, it fell into desuetude and decay. No 
doubt many a woman has been murdered by an 
enraged and jealous husband. Many a woman 
has been unjustly charged, and her life made bitter 
by the rage and cruelty of her jealous husband, 
who might have proved herself innocent if such a 
law had only been in force. Now no means exist 
except personal detection ; and yet it is surprising 
how common the crime is. Our daily papers are 
full of notices of the most fearful character, and of 
the punishment, immediate and fatal, which enraged 
men inflict upon the seducers of their wives. But, 
on the other hand, if women could know the guilt 
of their husbands, how many now bright and beau- 
tiful homes would be broken up ! 



THE NAZARITE 



Chapter vi, Verses 1-22. — The word Nazarite^tt, 
signifies one consecrated and devoted, when it is 
applied to persons. This, indeed, is its prime idea. 
It was applied to an Israelite when he bound him- 
self by a vow to abstain from certain things, and to 
devote himself, for a time at least, wholly unto the 
Lord. Hence in verse 2 the person becoming a 
Nazarite vows to separate himself unto the Lord. 
So in God's complaint against his people in Amos 
ii, II, 12, he says, "I raised up of your sons for 
prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. . . . 
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink." The 
Nazarites were regarded as especially holy men, 
giving the most of their time to the law and re- 
ligious observances. They were looked upon as 
purer than snow, and whiter than milk. Lam. iv, 7. 
Our blessed Lord himself was called a Nazarite, 
although not so in view of this law ; for he touched 
lepers and dead bodies and was clean. But he was 
the great antitype, the embodiment of purity, the 
highest form of the Nazarite ideal. It is a matter 
of joyous wonder that all through God's word, in 
every type and shadow, in every form and cere- 
mony, in every sacrifice and symbol, holiness is the 

great ideal. And we see further, that here, in the 

53 



54 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

following class of persons this ideal was realized 
and exhibited to the world. Some thus consecrated 
themselves to the Lord for a short period ; others 
by divine ordination and designation were conse- 
crated to God for the whole of their lives. It was 
said to Samson's mother, that he should be a Naz- 
arite to God from the womb. Judg. xiii, 5. The 
mother of Samuel vowed unto the Lord that if he 
would give her the son she asked, " Then I will give 
him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there 
shall no razor come upon his head." The angel told 
Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, that he 
shall " be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall 
drink neither wine nor strong drink ; and he shall 
be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his moth- 
er's womb." Luke i, 15. Others were consecrated 
for only a limited period ; but whether for life, or for 
a limited period, the great idea concerning them 
was that they were wholly separated unto God for 
his service and glory. They were not to mingle with 
common or ordinary things ; they were to give all 
their time to the Lord. Then they were to drink no 
wine, because that might produce mental hallucina- 
tions ; and their strength was not to be reduced by 
the polling of their hair. . There was to be no con- 
tamination by their touching dead bodies, and no 
uncleanness for even his brother and sisters. But 
"all the days of his separation" he was to be " holy 
unto the Lord." Not by outward observances mere- 
ly ; but in his inward experience and in his outward 
life. So with the Christian Nazarite. He is not to 



THE NAZARITE. 55 

be " conformed to this world," but to be " trans- 
formed " by the "renewing of his mind." He is 
to "come out from among them," to be "separate" 
— the very idea of the Nazarite, u saith the Lord, 
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will re- 
ceive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you 
shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord 
Almighty." 

Another thing to be noticed here is, that this sep- 
aration was voluntary and in full accordance with 
the self-determination of the will power. The 
Nazarite, of his own choice, vowed a vow that for 
a certain time at least he would be all the Lord's. 
This indicated his conscious choice. He could 
make the vow, or he could decline to do so. If he 
made it, it was voluntary, but not so his adherence 
to his vow. When the vow was made he was ob- 
liged to keep it, or suffer the penalty of the neglect 
or violation of it. In all his dealings with men, 
God recognizes and honors their will power. No 
one is coerced into his service. No one is over- 
constrained to set himself apart for God. If a man 
do it, it must be by the determination of his* will, 
aided by the grace of God. And so it is with 
Christian holiness — the New Testament idea of 
Nazaritism. Men must first of all, by the Spirit of 
God, will to be all the Lord's. They must will to 
give up themselves, the world, and sin, and every 
wrong thing, and to be separated to God forever. 
This is of themselves, aided and strengthened by the 
Spirit of the Lord. And, if they thus vow to give 



56 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

up themselves to God, and separate themselves to 
his service, then the Lord will accept their offering, 
put his seal upon them, sanctifying them "wholly" 
and preserving them " blameless unto the coming 
of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Those Nazarites to God were among. the bright- 
est shining lights of the Jewish dispensation. Their 
luster brightened it, and their consecration hallowed 
it. They were all the Lord's, and so were lifted 
up above the ordinary Jews in their character and 
in their conduct. So those persons who, under the 
Christian dispensation, have given themselves up 
wholly to God have been among the brighest lights 
the world ever saw. Were not Luther and Wesley 
and Rutherford and Fletcher and Thomas a Kem- 
pis, and a host of others, the lights of the world 
because of their consecration and their separation 
from the world ? And is it not so now? The more 
complete the consecration and separation the more 
blessed and wide-spread and divine is the light 
which shines out from this holy character. And 
will it not continue to be so more and more? As 
the millennium approaches, will not the heavenly 
radiance of such persons be vastly increased and 
broadened and glorious? Will not every Christian 
then be truly a Nazarite unto God? 

But there were certain conditions of Nazariteship 
then, as there are now. First of all, the Nazarite 
was to be a total abstainer. " He shall separate 
himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink 
no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, 



THE NAZARITE. §7 

neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat 
moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his sepa- 
ration shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine- 
tree, from the kernels even to the husk." This is 
the strongest total abstinence pledge ever drawn in 
this world ; and it was drawn by God. True, this 
was limited in its application ; but it was evidently 
designed to be universal. No man who gives him- 
self up to the wine-cup can be wholly separated to 
God. There must be a separation from these things. 
As men draw consciously near to God there will 
be an abandonment of intoxicants. It is the revival 
of holiness in our churches which has pushed the 
great temperance cause of the present day to the 
magnificent results already realized, and to the 
promise of grander results in the near future. 
Holiness in all the ages is on the side of total ab- 
stinence. It is the perpetual and everlasting con- 
querer of the rum-fiend. As it spreads he disap- 
pears. This is the only strong, vital force which 
can meet and overcome him. This, the power of 
the pentecost, the power of Nazaritism, is the power 
by which this work will be wrought. Christ's com- 
mand to his Church is, " Be not drunk with wine, 
wherein is excess ; but be filled with the Spirit ; 
speaking to yourselves," not in bacchanalian songs, 
but ..." singing and making melody in your heart 
to the Lord." This is the plectrum with which we 
are to strike the notes of our victory and triumph. 
2. Their hair was to remain uncut. Ver. 5. In 
the olden time the growth of the hair was thought 



58 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

to be indicative of strength. This idea may have 
originated in many minds from the strength in Sam- 
son's unshorn locks. But, whatever the cause, this 
has very generally been thought to be the case. 
This was done, we think, that it might be clearly 
indicated that nothing was to emasculate, or effem- 
inate the persons thus set apart. And is it not so 
now ? The person who would be all the Lord's 
must give up every thing which would mar or 
weaken him, or enfeeble his religious character or 
life. If the long hair indicated strength, then the 
Christian man, fully consecrated to God, is not to 
regard the outward sign merely, but every thing 
which is meant by it. There are those who take 
upon themselves the vows of holiness, who spoil 
all by clinging to certain things which are manifest- 
ly opposed to it. And hence, while they should be 
mighty against the hosts of enemies around them, 
they are often poor and weak as other men are. 
" The little foxes spoil the vines." Whether it be in 
the dress, in the manners, in the conversation, in out- 
ward deportment, if it minifies holiness, it should 
be eliminated from us. It has been thought by 
some that long hair is a token of subjection. So Paul 
is regarded as teaching in I Cor. xi, 5. Well, let it 
be so. And then what does this indicate to the 
spiritually minded person ? Why, surely, that the 
Christian Nazarite is entirely under subjection to 
God. And this he is, this he must be. If he is all 
the Lord's, then surely he is under the divine subjec- 
tion and control in all things. " But now being made 



THE NAZARITE. 59 

free from sin, and become a servant [a slave] unto 
God, he has his fruit unto holiness, and the end 
everlasting life." All the time he is a servant, a 
bond-servant, to God forever. 

3. All who saw these persons knew that they 
were Nazarites. Their unshorn locks told at once 
their real character. No one could doubt as to 
who they were, or as to what was their character 
or life. This was their badge, their distinctive ap- 
pearance, and clearly showed their condition. In 
like manner the holy Christim will readily impress 
the mind and heart of those by whom he is sur- 
rounded that he belongs to Christ ; that he is de- 
voted to his service, and that his life is spent for 
his glory. 

4. Furthermore, he was not to touch any dead 
body, not even of those who were dearest to him. 
This would produce defilement, and make it nec- 
essary for him to recommence his consecration and 
his life of separation, so carefully was his outward 
purity of character shielded. And how beautifully 
this illustrates the character of the holy Christian ! 
He is not only commanded to an utter come- 
outism from the world, and a complete separation 
from it ; but also not to " touch any unclean thing." 
A pure, beautiful white garment will readily show 
the slightest speck. So the heart, purified by the 
blood of Christ, and consecrated to his service, will 
clearly show any spot or stain which may come 
upon it. The consecrated Christian is to be pure, 
holy ; to be without spot or blame before God. " If 



60 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

he varies from this, if he is stained, or polluted, or 
if he is only defiled in a slight degree, how quickly 
the keen eye of the worldling, or the eye of the 
pharisaical professor of religion will discover it, and 
how it will militate against the cause of Christ ! 
No one who aims to be a holy Christian should 
fail to keep his " garments unspotted from the 
world." And, if we trust in Christ, he can so keep 
us. He will not only " sanctify us wholly, but will 
preserve us blameless unto his coming." 

5. The Christian Nazarites vow is for life. 
With him, this consecration is not merely for 
eight days, or for a month, or a year ; but it is for 
life. All the days of his life he is to be all the 
Lord's. But how rapidly and how sweetly these 
days pass away, and how soon will they be 
gone ! Then will come on the full reward and 
the everlasting joy. Then amid the glories of that 
heavenly world, amid the bliss of the eternal tem- 
ple of God, he will serve him day and night for- 
ever. No fears then of falling, no consciousness of 
defects, no dread of defilement, no shrinking from 
touching the unclean thing. No ; for then he will 
be with God forever. O blessed result for so short 
a consecration and separation in a world of sin and 
sorrow ! Here we have constantly to watch and 
pray lest we enter into temptation ; to struggle 
against opposing powers. Here Satan appears to 
deceive and destroy. But there our watchfulness 
ends ; and prayer is lost in everlasting praise. Then 
the saved soul will be eternally secure. 



THE BENEDICTION OF THE OLD AND THE 
NEW COVENANTS. 



Chapter vi, Verses 22-27. — The priests, the 
ministers of the Lord our God, are ordained not 
only to offer sacrifices of prayer and praise, not 
only to instruct and comfort the people ; but they 
are also to pronounce blessings upon them in the 
name of the Lord. Both under the Law and under 
the Gospel these blessings were formally prepared, 
and formally commanded to be used. " The oc- 
casions on which this blessing was used are not 
recorded. The blessing itself, which marks in a 
special manner the spiritual character of the chosen 
people, consists of three double clauses. In each 
of these clauses the sacred name of Jehovah is re- 
peated, and there is a rising gradation in the bless- 
ing invoked, until it culminates in that peace which 
is the highest of those gifts which God can bestow 
and that man can possess. There has been com- 
monly recognized in this blessing an allusion to the 
Trinity. Mention is made in Lev. ix, 22, of a 
blessing pronounced by Aaron upon the people, 
but no form of words is found there." * The 
blessing here is threefold : in the Gospel it is in 
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
* Ellicott. 61 



62 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

Ghost. The blessings here pronounced are rich 
and great : so the grace and love and communion 
of the Gospel are beyond description. The bless- 
ings are from the Lord, but his servants are 
authorized to pronounce them. It is remarkable 
how little estimate is placed upon this form of 
our public service ; and still more wonderful that 
God, the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, 
should condescend to bless his creatures, and more 
especially his people, so abundantly. But these 
are his own words : " On this wise [in this man- 
ner] shall ye bless the children of Israel." 

I. " Jehovah bless thee and keep thee." ''The 
blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth 
no sorrow with it." This promise, " I will bless 
you," is often repeated, and in a variety of forms. 
For instance, in the twenty-eighth and thirty-third 
chapters of Deuteronomy how these promises of 
blessings are multiplied. God is the God of bless- 
ings. He wills to do us good. If his conditions 
are only met there is no end to his favors. " If he 
smile, a frowning universe cannot harm us ; but if 
he frown, no smiles can cheer us." Blessings are 
promised for soul and body, for wife and children, 
for estate and cattle, for the ground and its fruits, 
for all spiritual and temporal interests, for time and 
for eternity. They cover all classes and all condi- 
tions ; they reach to every case. We never weary in 
thinking of his mercies. And did we rightly com- 
prehend all, how it would cheer our hearts ! " The 
Lord bless thee." From whom does this blessing 



THE BENEDICTION OF THE COVENANTS. 63 

come? Not from the priest, or minister; it is the 
Lord — Jehovah — whose blessing is pronounced. 
And this is not meant to be a mere formal matter. 
It means just what it says, and infinitely more 
than we can understand. The Gospel declares the 
Father sent his Son to bless us. What a life of 
benediction was his ! When he sat on the Mount 
of Beatitudes, his first utterance was a blessing. 
" Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven." And so he proceeded to 
bless the characters who were dear to his heart of 
love. The last act his disciples saw him perform 
was when he was leaving this world. " He lifted 
up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to 
pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from 
them and carried up into heaven." Nor has he 
ceased to bless his people yet. His servants are 
still blessing his people in his name ; and his hands 
are still outstretched in blessings upon all. 

2. But if the blessing is great, so also is the keep- 
ing* Next to His saving blessings are his keeping 
blessings. These are most wonderful. That little 
word "keep" is one of the grandest in the Bible. 
Not only so, it is one of the most frequently used. 
It is employed over one hundred and fifty times 
to encourage and comfort his people. Nothing 
can comfort more than this. The necessity for it 
every true child of God has always felt, and always 
feels. He cannot keep himself. He is powerless 
in the midst of a multitude of foes. He is weak as 
a bruised reed, frail and feeble. But Jehovah can 



64 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

keep him — can keep him so that no power shall be 
able to pluck him out of his hand. No one can 
harm him while he is a follower of that which is 
good. And how he has kept his people ! In fiery- 
furnaces and lions' dens ; in the prison and at the 
stake ; at home and in exile ; in the city and in the 
country; in tumultuous joy and overwhelming sor- 
row ; in life and in death. So the great apostle to 
the Gentiles testified : " I know whom I have be- 
lieved, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep 
that which I have committed unto him against that 
day." It is one of the grandest miracles of grace 
for the Christian to be kept in the midst of the evil 
that is in the world unto eternal life. 

3. " Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, 
and be gracious unto thee." Here are light and 
grace. The shining of God's face upon the soul is 
the brightest radiance in the universe. Often does 
the royal Psalmist pray for this — the light of God's 
countenance. Nothing is so dear to the soul as 
this. It signifies his divine favor to us, and his di- 
vine acceptance of us. It certainly implies the for- 
giveness of our sins and our justification in his sight. 
The Lord can never look with favor upon sinners. 
The scowl of divine wrath is upon those who 
violate his laws. It must be so. He cannot look 
upon sin against himself or against his creatures 
with complacency. " He is of purer eyes than to 
behold iniquity." But upon the repentant, believ- 
ing, and obedient soul he lifts the light of his coun- 
tenance. It shines upon them as consciously, but 



THE BENEDICTION OF THE COVENANTS. 65 

even more brilliantly, than the light of the sun, scat- 
tering every cloud of doubt and fear, and making 
all within them to rejoice. Thus the child of God 
" walks in the light of the Lord." He does not 
" walk in darkness, but in the light of life :" Blessed, 
indeed, in this state ! In all the conditions of life, 
in all its various relations, nothing is more cheering 
to the soul than this heavenly light. It brightly 
shines over all life's pathway, and illumes with its 
radiance the " valley and shadow of death." In- 
deed, it is heaven begun below. Saints in heaven 
behold this light in its fullness and glory. We only 
have it in a measure — a small degree ; we could not 
bear to see it as they do. But what we do enjoy 
of it here is heaven begun below, and makes us " sit 
together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus." 

In addition to this, it is said, " Jehovah be gra- 
cious unto thee." All we have or enjoy in this 
world is gracious. There is no blessing, however 
small, which comes to us according to our merit or 
desert. We have no merit ; our only desert is per- 
dition. In the sight of God, all unrenewed men are 
regarded as guilty, ruined, and lost. If, therefore, 
any intelligent creature of God is blessed, or saved, 
it is all of mercy and grace. So with every favor we 
enjoy; every crumb of food, every shred of clothing, 
every roof over our heads, every couch on which 
we lie, every friend whom we enjoy — all, all are 
from the grace of God. When Joseph saw his 
youngest brother Benjamin, after long years had 

passed, when his eyes were filled with tears and 
5 



66 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

his utterance was choked with his emotions, he 
said, " God be gracious unto thee, my son." Gen. 
xliii, 29. So when Moses desired to see the glory 
of the Lord, he appeared to him, saying, " I will be 
gracious to whom I will be gracious." And he will 
be gracious to his people, and to all who call upon 
his name. All we enjoy is of grace. Redemption, 
salvation, and eternal life are not by merit, or good 
works, but by grace. 

We live under a gracious dispensation — not one 
of law. And so all creatures are dealt with gra- 
ciously for Christ's sake. No man lives but his 
very life is all of grace. But to his chosen people 
who can tell how gracious he is? In all their 
afflictions, sorrows, and trials he manifests himself 
to them in mercy, grants to them his loving favor, 
and satisfies them with his heavenly grace. 

4. " The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, 
and give thee peace." This is an emblem taken 
from the sun coming up from his chambers, and 
bursting forth upon the world in his glory. So the 
Lord lifted up the light of his countenance upon 
his saints. This is a distinguishing blessing. 
There are many who say to his people, " Who will 
show you any good?" But their cry is still, "Lord, 
lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." 
So it is in the light of his countenance they walk, 
and in his name they rejoice all the day long. 
Peace also is given them ; for he is the Lord God of 
peace. The peace which he gives " passeth all un- 
derstanding." Christ said himself, " Peace I leave 



THE BENEDICTION OF THE COVENANTS. 67 

with you, my peace give I unto you ; not as the 
world giveth, give I unto you." This is a peace 
which floweth like a river, for it comes from an ex- 
haustless source. Wonderful, then, we see are all 
these benedictions ! And it is a pleasant surprise 
to see how nearly those under the law correspond 
with those under the Gospel. Let me now place 
them before my readers, that they may understand 
their meaning and their force : 

1. " The Lord bless thee and I. "The grace of the Lord 
keep thee." Jesus Christ," sovereign, 

saving, keeping. 

2. " The Lord make his face 2. " The love of God the Fa- 
shine upon thee, and be gra- ther." He loves his peo- 
cious unto thee." pie, and is gracious unto 

them. 

3. "The Lord lift up his 3. "The communion of the 
countenance upon thee, and Holy Ghost be with you." 
give thee peace." This is the light of God 

shining in the soul, and the 
peace which the Holy Ghost 
brings into the soul. 

Thus for the ages, for four thousand years, these 
benedictions have been uttered by priest and 
preacher upon the people of God, and the world 
has been remembered by him who loves them, and 
gave his only Son to die for them. The blessings 
thus breathed upon them have been among the 
choicest and gladdest experiences of their life. 

Finally, the Lord says, " And they shall put my 
name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless 
them." It is thought to be a great thing in this 



68 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

world when a great financier, or well-known busi- 
ness man will say to a young man, u You can use 
my name." But here the Lord Jehovah puts his 
name upon his people. Thus the Son of God says, 
" Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, 
I will give it unto you," or " I will do it." His in- 
dorsement is upon all our paper. The bank of 
heaven can never refuse it. This Name is the 
strong tower into which his people run. So let all 
his people remember, when they come to him, that 
their petition, their request, bears his name, and it 
cannot be turned away. God will answer. Am I 
irreverent when I say, God must answer? And he 
will bless his people always, even for evermore. 



PRINCES OFFERING TO GOD. 



Chapter vii, Verses 1-89. — The tabernacle is 
founded. The priestly and Levitical offices are ar- 
ranged. The benediction is assured. What more 
is needed ? It is not to be forgotten that the chil- 
dren of Israel were itinerant wanderers in the wil- 
derness, and they could not stay long in a place. 
There was much connected with the service of the 
tabernacle which was burdensome — boards, pillars, 
poles, curtains, coverings, furniture were all to be 
removed every time the pillar of cloud and fire 
gave indication that they were to remove from the 
place of their encampment. In this emergency 
twelve princes of Israel came forward with their 
offerings to the service of this house of the Lord. 
Their offerings occupied twelve days, the sacrifices 
being too numerous to be offered at the same time. 
The expression therefore " on the day," here and 
in verse 10, must be understood, as in many other 
places in the Scriptures, as signifying, " at the 
time." The tabernacle was set up on the first day 
of the first month of the second year, and the 
events recorded in this and the preceding chapters 
appear to have taken place on and after the second 
month of that year. It appears from a compari- 
son of Exod. xl, 7, with Num. x, II, that fifty days 

69 



70 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

intervened between the erection of the tabernacle 
and the beginning of the march from Sinai.* The 
offering consisted of six covered wagons, or litters. 
The Vulgate calls them plaustra tecta. Of these, 
four wagons and eight oxen were given to Merari, 
and to him the lot fell of bearing the heavier por- 
tions of the tabernacle. 

1. The gifts offered were from the princes of Is- 
rael, and consisted not only of wagons and oxen, 
but also of silver chargers, and bowls and spoons 
of gold, and bullocks and rams, lambs and goats — 
all for the service of the sanctuary. No doubt 
these princes of Israel had larger wealth than the 
ordinary people. It is hardly, however, to be sup- 
posed that they all had wealth alike. And yet, in 
this large contribution, they all gave alike. And it 
seems, further, that they all gave cheerfully and 
voluntarily. So much that it seems remarkable 
that a people so recently redeemed from bondage 
should contribute so liberally and largely, and with- 
out any conditions. They simply offered them to 
the Lord, leaving his servants, into whose hands 
they might fall, to direct and dictate, under divine 
guidance, how they should be employed. 

2. It should be noted further, that every thing 
which they gave was to be used. It was not merely 
for ornamentation, but for utility. So God gave to 
Moses direction, ver. 5: "Take it of them, that 
they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of 
the congregation ; and thou shalt give them unto 

* Ellicott. 



PIUXCES OFFERING TO GOD. 71 

the Levites, to every man according to his service." 
Here, we think, may be seen the shadowing of the 
great law of Christian giving. While all gave 
something, all gave alike, all gave what was val- 
uable, and all gave according to the divine order, 
or plan. Oftentimes rich men, in their penurious- 
ness, expect the poor to give as much as they give. 
This, certainly, is not God's requirement. There is 
only one great law of giving under the Christian 
dispensation. " Let every man give as God hath 
prospered him." This he is to do regularly, at set 
times — " on the first day of the week " — so that his 
habit of giving is fixed and formed, and enters into 
every arrangement of his life. The rich often 
spend a very large part of their income upon their 
own homes, their furniture, carriages and horses, 
servants, clothing, pleasure, etc. Then, when asked 
for something for God's cause, they will reply, " I 
cannot afford it." What an account such persons 
will have to give at the judgment seat of Christ ! 
This great law has never yet been fully understood, 
or fully acted upon. Men often give from impulse, 
from vanity, from political motives, or personal am- 
bition. How few truly give to God, according to 
his requirement, and on his plan. The great rule 
of Christian giving is to do it with simplicity, to 
open the hands wide. But, in many instances, 
how much pleading, how much sagacity is neces- 
sary to secure contributions from the rich. All 
this will be changed by and by. Men will bring 
their offerings unto the Lord. 



72 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

3. These contributions were timely and appropri- 
ate. There were twelve chargers of silver for the 
table of the Lord. And was it not meet and right 
that the table of the great King of kings and Lord 
of Israel should be served in silver plate ? These 
silver dishes were to be kept filled with meat of the 
sacrifices offered to the Lord. The silver bowls 
were also to be filled with the blood of sacrifice. 
The spoons which were offered were probably such 
as were used in Egyptian temples, and still depicted 
on them as borne in the hands of the king. These 
spoons were in the shape of an outstretched arm, 
the hand forming the bowl. In the Egyptian tem- 
ples such spoons were filled with a vase of burning 
incense, or a terra-cotta cone, emblematic of a 
mountain, and were presented in symbolic adora- 
tion to Amun Ray, the supreme, or Osiris, Kneph 
and Chonzo, primary deities of Egypt. Some, in- 
deed, have thought that the spoons dedicated by 
the princes were part of the spoil extorted by fear 
from their oppressors, when they left Egypt on 
that night of blood and darkness and death. No 
doubt Israel was greatly enriched by the spoils of 
their former oppressors. It is written : " They 
spoiled Egypt." The silver and the gold were of 
immense value in these gifts, containing two thou- 
sand four hundred shekels of silver, and one hundred 
and twenty shekels of gold. The animals given in 
sacrifice were for immediate use, while the silver 
and gold were for the ages. Well could they afford 
to give these beasts for sacrifice, not only for the 



PRINCES OFFERING TO GOD. 73 

reason above mentioned but also because they 
needed not meat for their families, as they were 
daily fed from heaven. 

Is it not so in the Christian Church? Men still 
dedicate to God churches, institutions of learning, 
large sums of money for missions, the Bible cause, 
great eleemosynary institutions for the sick, the 
blind, the imbecile, the aged, and the orphan — some 
for immediate use, and some to last during the 
centuries. 

4. God has kept in his word a faithful account of 
their gifts. All gave precisely alike ; but each one's 
gift is as exactly mentioned as if he had been the 
only giver. Then the aggregate is clearly made up, 
so that there could possibly be no misunderstand- 
ing as to the results of this remarkable donation. 
It has come down to us for nearly thirty-five hun- 
dred years as clear and as well understood as on 
the day they were given. These gifts were not all 
made in one day but for twelve days they were 
brought in, beginning with Judah and ending with 
Naphtali. No doubt some tribes were more 
wealthy than others, yet all gave the same. All 
were equally interested in the tabernacle, and in its 
altar-service ; all had an equal share in its benefits. 
It is somewhat remarkable that Nahshon, of the 
tribe of Judah, is the only one who is not expressly 
called a prince. The Jewish writers account for 
this as follows: " He is not called a prince, that he 
might not be puffed up because he offered first ; all 
the others are called princes, because they, (some 



74 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

of them at least of the elder house, submitted and 
offered after him." Or, it may have been, because 
the title of the Prince of Judah belonged solely to 
the coming Messiah, who is the Lion of the tribe of 
Judah, and " unto him shall the gathering of the 
people be." 

These facts, so full of interest, are still further 
emblematical of Christian benevolence, of Christian 
liberality ; and, as such, are deserving of the con- 
sideration of every true Christian. 

Verse 89. — Here is another fact in this chapter 
which certainly claims our attention ; namely, God 
spake to Moses familiarly from off the mercy-seat 
that was upon the ark of the testimony, from be- 
tween the two cherubim. This was wonderful! "As 
if," says Bishop Patrick, " he had been clothed with 
a body which might be looked upon as an earnest 
of the incarnation of the Son of God, in the fullness 
of time, when the Word should be made flesh and 
speak in the language of the sons of men. For 
however God at sundry times and in divers man- 
ners spake to the fathers in times past, he has in 
these last days certainly spoken to us by his Son. 
That it was he who now spoke to Moses as the 
Shekinah, a divine Majesty, from between the 
cherubim, and was the second Person in the 
blessed Trinity, was the pious thought of many of 
the ancients ; for all God's revelation and commun- 
ion with man is by his Son, by whom, also, he 
made the world and rules the Church, and who is 
the same yesterday and to-day and for ever." 



PRINCES OFFERING TO GOD. 75 

Through this divine communication, made in con- 
nection with this history of benevolence in the early 
Jewish Church which is in many respects a model 
for the Christian Church, shines forth the clear radi- 
ance fore-announcing the coming of the Christ "who 
is God over all, blessed forever." 

How many instances of liberality to the cause of 
God might be given that would show forth the spirit 
which characterized the princes. I only can notice 
one. At a missionary meeting in Scotland a poor 
servant-girl stopped at the door, where the deacons 
always stood to receive the donations, and dropped 
a sovereign into the box. One of the deacons said 
to her, " I am sure you cannot afford to give this." 
" O, yes, I can ! " " Do take it back," he said. She 
replied, " O, no; I must give it." The' deacon then 
said, " Take it home to-night, and, if after thinking 
of it during the night you choose to give it, you 
can send it." The next morning she sent a note 
containing two sovereigns. Some one said to the 
good deacon, " Of course you must not take it." 
He said, "I shall ; for if I send it back she will send 
four the next time." So we are to give. 

" Give as the morning that flows out of heaven ; 
Give as the waves when the channel is riven : 
Give as the free air and sunshine are given j 

Lavishly, utterly, joyously give. 
Not the waste drops of thy cup overflowing, 
Not the faint sparks of thy hearth ever glowing, 
Not a pale bud from the June roses blooming ; 

Give as He gave thee who gives thee to live." 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 



Chapter viii, Verses 1-5.— No part of these em- 
blematical writings is richer than this. Indeed, 
these very emblems, as we shall see, were used by- 
New Testament writers in describing the Gospel 
and its influence among men. For instance, here is 
the candlestick, curiously made, of " beaten," that 
is, turned or twisted gold. The description of it 
as ordered and made is found in Exod. xxv, 
31-37; xxxvii, 17-23. It is called "the seven 
golden candlesticks." There was first the central 
stand ; then, on either side, were three branches, 
making seven in all. This was the pattern shown 
to Moses in the mount. This golden candlestick 
was placed against the south wall of the tabernacle, 
opposite to the table of show-bread, so that its seven 
branches were parallel to that wall, with its branches 
east and west, and, consequently, the seven lamps, 
one of which rested upon each of the seven branches, 
threw their light in front of the candlestick, that is, 
toward the north wall, by which arrangement the 
furniture of the holy place was more effectually 
lighted than it would have been had the candlestick 
been placed facing the entrance, with its branches 
north and south.* 

76 * Ell icon. 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 77 

This candlestick was made of pure gold. So the 
Lord designs that his Church shall be pure and 
holy. There is to be no alloy, no baseness in it ; 
but all is to be pure and precious. Then it was of 
beaten gold ; beaten so it might be rightly formed 
and shaped. God's purest gold, in all dispensa- 
tions, passes through great tribulation, a fearful 
threshing-machine, so that it might be fitted and 
prepared for its position and its work. Then it was 
made to be the source of light ; on all these seven 
standards the candles, or lamps, were to be con- 
stantly burning. They were to throw their light 
"over against the candlestick;" in other words, 
upon that part of the tabernacle where the table 
stood with the show-bread upon it. 

Now let us turn to Rev. i, 12, 13. There we read : 
"And being turned, I saw seven golden candle- 
sticks ; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks 
one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a gar- 
ment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with 
a golden girdle." Look again, at verse 20: "The 
mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my 
right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. 
The seven stars are the angels of the seven church- 
es: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest 
are seven churches." Here we see that Christ him- 
self is the great central light of his Church, ever 
shining bright and clear; while his churches are on 
either side of him. He is in the midst of them, 
and they, lighted from him and by him, shed the 
same radiance upon this darkened world. Is the 



78 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

question asked, " Who lighted these lamps?" We 
answer, " Aaron, the high-priest of the Lord ; " he 
only was authorized to do it. He lighted the cen- 
tral light from the altar, and the other six were 
lighted from the center. How full of the Gospel is 
this fact ! Christ is the Light of the world ; the cen- 
tral light. All his churches are lighted from him, 
are made to shine by him ; their light ■ is derived 
from him. He shines in them all and through them 
all. Unless they shine by him they do not, will 
not, shine at all. But if they are united to him 
they will let their light so shine that others seeing 
their good works will glorify our Father which is in 
heaven. The Church looks up to him, and says, 
" Thou wilt light my candle." And again it is said, 
" God, who commanded the light to shine out of 
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
face of Jesus Christ." All the members of that 
Church " walk as children of light." This is so 
true that if any one " says he is in him and walks 
in darkness, he lies and does not the truth." This 
is the light of this poor, dark world. Here we see 
are seven lamps. Seven is a perfect number ; and 
this shows that the light is a perfect light, the glo- 
rious light of the blessed Gospel of Christ. There 
is enough of this light always shining to point the 
world to the Bread of Life, ever standing ready to 
feed a starving world, as well as its radiance to 
illume a darkened world. Wonderful light ! Won- 
derful Gospel ! Wonderful Christ ! 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 79 

Verses 5-23. — The consecration of the Levites. 
We have now come to the beautiful service of the 
consecration of the Levites. We shall see, also, 
how this, from the dim, distant ages of the past, is 
typical of the gospel dispensation in the consecra- 
tion of its ministers. 

1. In the first place let us mark this, They were 
to be distinctly set apart for their work. There is 
an effort being made at the present day, in certain 
quarters, to reduce the ministers of Christ to the 
ranks of the laymen, and to assume that they have 
no higher call than laymen have. This is entirely 
out of harmony with God's plan. Doubtless lay- 
men are called to speak, as well as to live, for Christ ; 
but they are not all distinctively called to be 
God's ministers, and to devote all their time to his 
work. 

2. They were to be called to this work. They did 
not take this honor upon themselves. They were 
chosen in the place of the first-born of Israel. And 
now and here they were solemnly set apart for their 
work. They were separated, taken out from among 
the children of Israel ; their life-work was hencefor- 
ward before them. They were never to leave it, 
only by the command of God, or at the time which 
he had ordained. Henceforth they belonged only 
to God, and to the service of his tabernacle. 

3. They were to be cleansed. This was a three- 
fold process. Moses was to sprinkle water of 
purifying upon them ; they were to shave all their 
flesh, and to wash their clothes, and so make them- 



80 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

selves clean. So every minister of Christ must be 
a cleansed, purified man. He must be pure in his 
character, pure in his person, pure in his life. They 
must be " clean who bear the vessels of the Lord." 
No man has a right to be a minister unless he is 
pure, and the element of holiness is largely devel- 
oped in his character and life. His services will 
not be measured so much by what he says, or what 
he does, but by what he is. He might be the most 
noble and eloquent of speakers ; but if there is a 
taint of suspicion upon his character all his efforts 
will be vain. We have known of some of the most 
able and eloquent men that the pulpit ever con- 
tained who were condemned to silence and infamy 
because of habits of inebriety. There is nothing at 
the present day which throws the shadow of a deep- 
er discouragement upon the Church of God than to 
see so many of its ministers indifferent to this great 
qualification. What does this sprinkling of water 
signify but the sprinkling of the blood of Christ? 
And this typical fact clearly argues to all ministers 
that they are to be " cleansed from all filthiness of 
flesh and spirit ; perfecting holiness in the fear of 
the Lord." The Hebrew word {JiattatJi) means lit- 
erally, water of sin, or of sin-offering, as in the case 
of holy water, to which reference is made in chap, 
vi, 17 ; but no explanation is given of the particular 
water which was to be used in the cleansing of the 
Levites. It was doubtless the water appointed to 
be used in the purification from sin.* 

* Vide Ellicott, in loco. 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 81 

4. They were to be ordained by the children of 
Israel. They were to put their hands upon them, 
as they stood before the Lord. This was subse- 
quently to the offering of a young bullock, with his 
meat-offering ; and another for a sin-offering. Then 
"Aaron was to offer them up before the Lord for 
an offering of the children of Israel, that they may 
execute the service of the Lord." This laying on 
of hands by the children of Israel was a signifi- 
cation of the acceptance by them of this divine 
arrangement, and of their obligation to maintain 
and support them in their calling and in their 
work. 

As to the method of Aaron's offering them up be- 
fore the Lord there is a difference of opinion among 
learned exegetes. Some think it may have been 
done by leading them backward and forward in 
front of the tabernacle, and in presence of the peo- 
ple. Others by the waving of Aaron's hands. The 
literal reading of verse 1 1 is, " Aaron shall wave 
the Levitesas a wave-offering before the Lord." It 
seems to us that as the twenty-three thousand Le- 
vites stood up in the front of the tabernacle, in the 
presence of the thousands and ten thousands of 
Israel, Aaron lifted his hands and waved them as 
a token that they were henceforth dedicated to the 
service of God. 

How interesting and how solemn was all this 
transaction! In all the future ages they were 
not to have any inheritance among the people of 
Israel ; and in all the ages God was to be their 



82 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

inheritance. So in all the ages, relieved from all 
secular employments, they were only to serve 
the Lord their God. How much pains does God 
take to distinguish and set apart his servants ! 
And if so under the former dispensation, how much 
more so under the Christian dispensation. In this 
dispensation every thing, so far as possible, is spir- 
itual. The call of God, the authority of the Church, 
the ordination of men to the service of God, show 
how the Lord still regards his ministers. And well 
is it that it is so. They are to be holy men, for a 
holy work, in a holy place. Like Caesar's wife, 
they are to be above suspicion. Their charac- 
ter and their life must be pure and consecrated. 
And all this was " that there might be no plague 
among the children of Israel." In this dedication 
of the Levites, who were especially to attend to 
this service, as well as to be trained for it, there 
would be no exposure to sins of omission or com- 
mission ; no irregularity in the services of the sanct- 
uary; no improper offering made, and no improper 
service performed. Thus God's anger would be 
withheld from them, and his blessing be enjoyed by 
them. 

Verses 24-26. — The time-limit of their service. 
This is here said to be from twenty-five to fifty, 
but in chap, iv, 3, 23, 30, it is said to be from thirty 
to fifty. In the time of David the Levites were ad- 
mitted to service at twenty years of age. 1 Chron. 
xxiii, 27: "For by the last words of David the 
Levites were numbered from twenty years old and 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 83 

above." Thus this time-limit was not absolute. 
Their service in the wilderness and in the early 
periods of their settlement in the land of Canaan 
was doubtless more difficult and laborious than it 
was under the latter period of David's reign, and 
during the whole of that of Solomon's, and the 
kings succeeding him ; and so they could commence 
their work earlier, and, mayhap, they continued it 
later. And thus understood it furnishes no abso- 
lute rule for any minister in the Christian dispensa- 
tion, either as to the time of his entering upon his 
work, or to the time of retiring from it. All this 
must be left to the orderings and permissions of 
divine Providence. Then, again, it is possible that 
the earlier years referred to here, twenty-five, and 
in Chronicles twenty years, were the periods when 
they began to study or prepare for their work. 

But, first of all, they were to devote themselves 
to the study of the law. Their time was thus large- 
ly employed. So we read in the days of Ezra that 
the Levites named in Neh. viii, 7, 8, " Caused the 
people to understand the law ; and the people stood 
in their place. So they read in the book in the law 
of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused 
them to understand the reading." Many of them be- 
came very learned in the law ; and so were enabled 
to teach it to the people, and to make them under- 
stand its wondrous meaning. No minister is fitted 
for his position unless he carefully study the word 
of God. 

But how many do not even quote it correctly, 



84 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

or but seldom refer to it in their sermons. The 
only recognition many so-called ministers give of 
that word is in the text ; after this any thing and 
every thing else is proclaimed to the people. But 
what is that - so-called preaching worth, which 
excludes the real substance of all true preach- 
ing? How dead and dull to the ears and hearts 
of the people! Only "the law of the Lord 
is perfect, converting the soul." Nothing else can 
do it. This is God's instrument for this work, and 
when he employs it he makes it mighty. Christ's 
ministers are not to offer bloody sacrifices ; but they 
are always to present the blood of Christ as the 
only thing in the universe which " cleanseth us from 
all sin." 

2. The Levites also sang the praises of the 
Lord. All down the centuries their trained voices 
rang in the tabernacle and in the temple of the 
Lord. No such music, we conceive, was ever heard 
in this world as the grand old Hebrew psalms in 
the service of God's house ! No wonder that the 
enemies of Israel, who had carried away its sons 
and daughters captives to the land of Babylon, re- 
quired of them a song, and they that wasted them 
required of them mirth, saying, " Sing unto us one 
of the songs of Zion." But as they wept under the 
willows on the banks of the Euphrates, as they re- 
membered Zion, no wonder that they hung their 
harps on them, " in the midst thereof." When, 
however, they were at home, amid the grand and 
sublime accompaniments of the temple service, with 



THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 8b 

the aid of every instrument known in the world 
at command, and with the responsive voices of 
countless thousands, even of millions, in their three 
great festivals, the music and the melody must have 
been inspiring and enrapturing. The question as 
to music in our Christian Churches seems to be set- 
tled here. There was music in the tabernacle and 
the temple : there is music in the heaven to which 
we are going ; let us have music here. Amen. 



CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 



Chapter 9, Verses 1-6. — The passover was the 
most solemn and suggestive institution in the Jew- 
ish Church. It was so in itself. It was the remem- 
brance of plagues, of darkness, of fire, and of death. 
It told of the destruction of the first-born of Egypt, 
and of their own deliverance from the destroying 
angel's arm. It also pointed onward to Christ, who 
is our Passover. Thus, it not only led them to look 
backward over the past ; but, also, to look toward 
the future. Then the ceremonies of the pass- 
over were eminently instructive. The lamb slain, 
the blood caught in the basin, the hyssop branch 
dipped in the blood, and then the blood sprinkled 
upon the two door-posts, and the upper post ; but 
none was sprinkled on the door-sill, for it was not 
to be trampled upon. There was further the un- 
leavened bread, the loins girt about and the staff in 
hand, to indicate that they were all ready for de- 
parture to their Canaan home. How typical was 
all this ! They had now been on their journeyings 
for a whole year, and the time had come for its an- 
niversary observance. Hence the command given 
in this chapter, which was cheerfully and univer- 
sally obeyed. And yet the thought is a solemn one 

that there was no provision for a continued observ- 
es 



CHRIS T OUR PA SSO VER. 8 7 

ance of this original command in the wilderness. 
After its primary observance in Egypt, and its ob- 
servance in the wilderness, they were commanded 
to observe it the next year in the land of Canaan. 
But, alas ! their unbelief and rebellion prevented 
this. Well does Ellicott say, " Had it not been for 
the rebellion of the people, the next passover after 
the original Egyptian one would have been cele- 
brated in the land of Canaan, and it was for that 
one only that provision had been made." Exod. xii, 
25. The passover was emblematical of the Lord's 
Supper. The change in the ordinance, indeed, is 
very slight. Our Lord and his disciples had kept 
the passover on the night of his betrayal ; and just 
after this, he took the same bread used for the pass- 
over, and it was the same cup of wine of which he 
said, " This is my blood of the New Testament, 
which was shed for you." And this substitution, 
based so directly upon the passover, and telling so 
completely of the Saviour's sufferings and death, 
has been celebrated for nineteen hundred years ; 
while the passover was celebrated for fifteen hun- 
dred years before this, making three thousand four 
hundred years in all of the passover and the Lord's 
Supper. 

But while the passover was omitted in a number 
of instances, and we do not read of it again in the 
wilderness; and while it was sometimes overlooked 
during the apostasies of the Church, thanks be to 
God ! the holy communion of the Lord's Supper 
has never ceased since its first institution to this 



88 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

hour. On the mountain and in the glen, in dens 
and caves, in the retired and homely dwellings of 
the saints, as well as in churches and stately cathe- 
drals, it has always, in some form, been celebrated. 
And it never will cease until he, its Author and 
Founder, comes again. 

Verses 6-15. — Here is a difficulty. Certain men, 
supposed to be Michael and Elzaphan, who appear 
to have buried their cousins, Nadab and Abihu, 
about this time were ceremonially unclean ; they 
were defiled by the body of a man. Now the de- 
filement occasioned by contact with the dead lasted 
seven days. The consecration of Aaron and his 
sons began on the first day of the month. Nadab 
and Abihu could not have died until the eighth 
day ; therefore it follows that on the fourteenth day 
they were still unclean. This is one of the numer- 
ous undesigned coincidences with which the Holy 
Scriptures abound.* 

Are there not defilements which should keep 
men and women from the table of the Lord ? 
Should we not be prepared to keep this feast? 
And should we not be thankful that there is a way 
provided by which we may come ? The Israelite, 
if disqualified to come on the day, could come on 
the fourteenth day of the second month and par- 
take of it. We need not wait so long. Dr. Chal- 
mers gives an account of a man in Scotland who 
was not clear in his Christian experience, and mor- 
bid in his feelings. As the day for the Lord's Sup- 
* Ellicott. 



CHRIS T OUR PA SSO VER. 89 

per drew nigh, he thought, " 1 can never go with 
God's people to enjoy it." On the morning of the 
holy Sabbath his doubts and fears still perplexed 
him. But while he was washing his hands, the 
Holy Spirit spoke to his soul, and said, " David, 
the blood of Christ can as easily wash away your 
sins as that water can make your hands clean." 
He saw the provision, embraced it, and went joy- 
fully to the table of the Lord. We may have all 
our difficulties removed very early and speedily. 
The blood which was shed for us cleanseth us from 
all sin ; and if there be a difficulty or dispute with 
any one, or if there be uncleanness, we may have 
all settled and removed by timely reconciliation, 
and timely purification in the blood. We cannot, 
however, help thinking that, as in the passover, so 
in the Lord's Supper, if any one carelessly neglect 
the Lord's command his wrath will be enkindled. 
" He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth 
and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discern- 
ing the Lord's body." On the part of the Jew 
the sentence was simply death, he was to be cut 
off from among his people ; and on the part of the 
Christian, it is spiritual death. No man can neg- 
lect, or improperly observe, this holy sacrament 
with impunity. 

Verses 15-23. — One of the most remarkable and 
beautiful things in the wilderness sojourn was the 
pillar of fire and of cloud. So it is often spoken of 
in the divine word. " Thou leddest them in the 
day by a cloudy pillar ; and in the night by a pillar 



90 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, 

of fire, to give them light in the way they should 
go." Neh. ix, 12. Also that grand and magnificent 
passage in Isaiah, " And the Lord will create upon 
every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her 
assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the 
shining of a flaming fire by night." Isa. iv, 5. No 
sooner had Israel departed from Egypt, no sooner 
had his foes gathered for his destruction, than this 
cloudy, fiery pillar appeared. First, it was between 
Israel and Egypt ; subsequently, it took its heaven- 
ward place, and appeared in a cloud by day and in 
fire by night. It seems not only nor always to 
have rested over the tabernacle, but overshadowed 
or lightened the whole encampment. It was the 
visible token of the divine presence and glory. It 
served a double purpose — it was a protection and a 
guide. They could not forecast or foretell its 
movements. It was always a mystery to them. 
How grateful and how refreshing must its shadow 
have been ! Amid the burning sun and burning 
sands of the desert, it was always above them by 
day. And how refreshing and beautiful must its 
light of fire have shone by night over all the mount- 
ains and hills, the valleys and plains, and the rough 
and dangerous places where they were encamped ! 
And what a terror it was to their enemies! It was 
also a defense as well as a glory. They did not 
dare to remain longer in a place than that cloud re- 
mained. When it moved, they moved ; while it 
rested, they rested — " whether it was a day, ... or 
two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tar- 



CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 91 

ried," they abode in their tents and journeyed not; 
but when it was taken up they journeyed. 

Is there any thing in the gospel dispensation to 
compensate for this ? Yes, blessed be God ! We 
are not left to our own will, or our own way. We 
have the Bible and the Spirit of the Lord. Hence the 
promises to us are: "I will guide thee with mine 
eye." "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and 
afterward receive me to glory." " Thou wilt be 
our guide even unto death." " In all thy ways 
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 
" The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." 
"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are 
the sons of God." Thus, although no visible sign 
is in the heavens, no outward token of the divine 
presence, yet here, in the word of God, and by the 
counsels of his Spirit, we need not, we shall not, err. 
Not only is our every step watched by his guardian 
care, but guided by his unerring hand. Doubtless 
Israel often wondered why the cloud and fire went 
the way which they did ; perhaps they often asked 
the question, " Why do they not indicate another 
route, or take another course? But it was the 
Spirit of the Lord present in the cloud which 
guided it, even as Isaiah says, " the Spirit of the 
Lord caused him to rest; and so didst thou lead thy 
people.'' Isa. lxiii, 14. 

Is it not often so with us ? We wonder why we 
are led here and not there ; why we are called upon 
to endure such rough and thorny places when 
smoother and more peaceful ones are around us; 



92 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

why we suffer so much, while our heavenly Father 
could take us up in his hands and carry us safely 
home. But we do not, we cannot, understand God's 
ways. He knows the best way to bring his people 
home ; he sees the necessity for the rough and the 
difficult path over which we often travel with weary 
feet toward the city of God. But amid the on- 
coming day of celestial brightness we shall see that 
every path and every step were ordered just right, 
and that if we had taken the path which we de- 
sired, or if we had walked in the light and easy way 
we have often longed for, it would have led us 
downward, toward eternal ruin, instead of upward, 
toward the heaven which is our home. How much 
better for us all to say, " Even so, Father ; for so 
it seemed good in thy sight." 

" Thy way, not mine, O Lord, 

However dark it be ! 
Lead me by thine own hand; 

Choose out the path for me. 

" I dare not choose my lot ; 

I would not if I might ; 
Choose thou for me, my God, 

So shall I walk aright." 



SILVER TRUMPETS-ON THE MARCH- 
HOBAB. 



Chapter x, Verses i-ii. — Perhaps there is none 
among the ceremonies of the Jewish people in 
which a greater interest has been felt than that of 
the silver trumpets. The trumpet is a very ancient 
instrument, and is frequently seen in Egyptian hiero- 
glyphics. Its use was very frequent — in times of 
peace and in times of war, in times of feasts and in 
times of sacrifices. They were probably made very 
much like those in use at the present day. The 
original horn is haz-ozerah, and is different from 
that one which we translate cornet (keren, or 
shophar). The trumpet was straight ; but the cor- 
net was crooked. The trumpets on the triumphal 
arch of Titus at Rome and on the old Egyptian 
monuments were straight. These trumpets were 
not to be cast, but to be beaten. They were a 
cubit in length, the tube was narrow, a little thicker 
than that of a flute, and just wide enough to permit 
the performer to blow; while it terminated in the 
form of a bell. It was to be blown only by the 
priests. Being made of pure silver, doubtless their 
tones were very sweet and harmonious. They were 
to be used on two specific occasions, and especially 
for two specific purposes. 



94 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

1. For the calling of the assembly. When 
their first notes were heard sounding through the 
assembly, then the people began to gather at the 
door of the tabernacle. If one trumpet only was 
blown, then only the princes came. All this was 
calm and quiet and peaceful. Paxton Hood has 
beautifully said : " Conceive such an evening as this 
in that beautiful land ; it is the evening of the sixth 
day — our Friday ; the sky is peaceful, it is the wil- 
derness ; among those crags are the foes of Israel's 
race. There is the tabernacle ; there is the cloud 
about to yield to the fire — a star or two has already 
appeared ; reverently awaiting and expecting, the 
laborers are reposing from their day of toil ; the 
sun is setting ; the darkness approaching. Hark ! 
Hark ! this is the peal of the silver trumpet over 
the waste, and the tool is dropped ; instantly all 
labor ceases; and it is more, it is the commencement 
of the sabbatical year. Yonder Philistines may put 
their own interpretation upon it, and say, ' Their 
Sabbath is before ;' but we can say, ' Blessed is the 
people who know the joyful sound.' " 

2. The sounding of an alarm. The Hebrew word 
here used is teruah — alarm. This is supposed to 
denote a loud and continuous blast, by which the 
signal for the moving of the camps was distin- 
guished from those which were used for the sum- 
moning of the congregation or princes.* 

Henry supposes that it was a " broken, quavering, 
interrupted sound, which was proper to encourage 
* Ellicott. 



SILVER TRUMPETS— ON THE MARCH— HOBAB. 95 

and excite the minds of the people in their marches 
against their enemies." There must have been, cer- 
tainly, a very wide difference in the sounds, although 
we may not be able now, at this late period, to speak 
clearly of the distinguishment. Joel, the prophet, 
speaks of " blowing the trumpet in Zion, and sound- 
ing an alarm in my holy mountain." Thus both 
methods are referred to. This sound of alarm is, of 
course, in harmony with ancient warfare, although 
differing widely from our more modern method. 
Now it is the drum-beat, or the bugle-call, which 
arouses our modern soldiery to action, or calls them 
to their posts. 

These silver trumpets beautifully illustrate the 
proclamation of the Gospel. They are only to be 
put to the lips of God's called and chosen minis- 
ters and messengers. The gospel trumpet is for 
invitation and for warning. It calls the people to 
come to Jesus ; to come to the living waters. " Ho, 
every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." 
" Whosoever will, let him come." This is its first 
great purpose, to invite the world to come to Christ. 
But another is to warn. This is often overlooked. 
But there are times when the alarm must be sounded ; 
when the forces of Zion are to be gathered together 
for the war; when every lover of the Lord Jesus 
Christ is to gird on his armor and prepare for the 
battle. Not only so, there is a time to warn and 
alarm the ungodly; to arouse their conscience; to 
stir up their guilty fears, and to make them dread 
an on-coming death and judgment and eternity. 



96 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

This is the purpose of the silver trumpet of the 
Gospel. It can sound most melodiously and en- 
trancingly; but there are times when it must sound 
so as to thrill and startle and alarm the sinner, and 
make him dread the death 

"Which never, never dies." 

This is a use too seldom made of the silver trum- 
pets. But no one can fail to see how God designed 
them, and how the Master has taught us to use 
them. " The gospel trumpet must at no time give 
an uncertain sound (i Cor. xiv, 8), but must be used 
faithfully and diligently by the spiritual watch- 
man, whether it be to warn the ungodly, to arouse 
the careless, or to speak to the hearts of God's 
people." * 

Josephus tells us that Solomon made two hun- 
dred thousand trumpets, according to the command 
of Moses; and besides these there were stored in 
the temple treasury fifty thousand harps, psalteries, 
and other instruments. When the war against the 
Midianites occurred, Phineas, the son of Eleazar, 
had the trumpet of alarm in his hand. Abijah, 
when he went to war with Jeroboam, in his address 
to him said, "Judah has on his side the priests 
with the trumpets of alarm." It seemed as if the 
presence of the priests with these trumpets was a 
token of the divine presence and the divine pro- 
tection ; for in the midst of the battle, when Judah 
was surrounded with his foes, they shouted, and 

* Ellicott. 



SILVER TRUMPETS— ON THE MARCH— HOBAB. 97 

the priests sounded with the trumpets. " Then 
the Lord gave them a great deliverance." So while 
God's ministers are sounding these trumpets they 
have nothing to fear; they are assured of victory, 
for God is in the midst of them. 

Verses 11-28. — The marcli from Sinai. It was * 
but a little while before the trumpets sounded, and 
the cloud was lifted up from off the tabernacle of 
the testimony, indicating a removal from Sinai to 
some other place. What a stir there must have 
been in the camp ! What a taking down of tents ! 
What a packing of household goods and valuable 
things! But every thing was done orderly. First 
came the standard of Judah, and then, following in 
regular order, all the tribes, until not one of all was 
left. They were not now going into Canaan, only 
from wilderness to wilderness ; from the wilderness 
of Sinai to the wilderness of Paran. 

They had been in the wilderness of Sinai for a 
long time — for eleven months and nineteen days. 
Then the Lord said to them, " Ye have compassed 
this mountain long enough." So they took their 
journey until the cloud rested in the wilderness of 
Paran. This comprised about one third of the 
whole peninsula of Sinai, being the east half of the 
limestone plateau constituting its center. At the 
north-east was the wilderness of Zin. The whole 
plateau is now known as El-Tih, that is, " the wan- 
dering." In Deuteronomy it is called " that great 
and terrible wilderness." It was bounded by the land 
of Canaan on the north, by the valley of the Arabah 



98 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OE NUMBERS. 

on the east, and by the desert of Sinai on the south. 
Its western boundary appears to have been the wil- 
derness of Shur, or, rather, the river or brook of 
Egypt (Wady-el-Arish) which divides the wilderness 
into two parts, of which the western part is some- 
times known as the wilderness of Shur. The so- 
journ of the Israelites was confined to the eastern 
part.* Here we see the use which the Gershonites 
and Merarites had for their wagons. The Gershon- 
ites folded the hangings and curtains of the taber- 
nacle and court, and carefully placed them in their 
two wagons ; while the Merarites, with the boards 
and more bulky materials, employed their four wag- 
ons, going on with the first divisions of the camp 
that they might have time to erect the tabernacle 
before the Kohathites, " bearing the sanctuary," 
should reach the place of the encampment. So 
they set forward in the midst of the camps of Israel. 
Is it not even so with the Christian under the gos- 
pel dispensation? When he journeys, is it not 
from wilderness to wilderness in this world ? The 
whole world is nothing to him but a wilderness. 
It is not his resting-place ; it is not his home. Still, 
in the wilderness he has God with him. He has 
the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night; 
he has, even here, the living waters pouring from 
the smitten rock ; and he has the living bread 
which comes down in abundance from heaven for 
his soul. He has the company, also, of all the 
good and pure and holy in Israel. Yet he is not 
* Ellicott. 



SILVER TRUMPETS— ON THE MARCH^HOBAB. 99 

at home ; he is on his journey, on his way to his 
heavenly home. The fact that he is in the wil- 
derness argues inconvenience, danger, peril, pain, 
privation, and unrest. Often weary, often foot-sore, 
ready to faint and die, and yet he knows that each 
passing day brings him nearer home. 

Verses 29-33. — Hobab. Happily for Israel, they 
not only had the pillar of cloud and of fire, but 
they also had Hobab with them; one of the sail- 
ors of the desert, who knew all its windings and 
wanderings, and was often to them " instead of eyes." 
It is somewhat difficult to fix the relationship be- 
tween Hobab and Moses. Some think he was his 
father-in-law, and others that he was his brother- 
in-law. Raguel is the same as Reuel. Exod. ii, 18. 
Reuel is supposed to be the same with Jether or 
Jethro in Exod. iv, 18 ; iii, 1. The original word is 
hothen, and is rendered father-in-law. This word 
and its cognate noun, hathen, is used to designate 
any near relation, as, for example, son-in-law, the 
sons-in-law of Lot ; and so of brother-in-law. There 
are some, Ellicott says, who think that Hobab, 
whether identical with Jethro or not, was the son 
of Reuel, and that Zipporah, the wife of Moses, was 
the daughter of Hobab. But when it is remem- 
bered that Moses now was upward of eighty years 
of age, it is much more probable that he should 
seek the aid of a guide through the wilderness 
among those of the same generation with Zipporah 
than among those of a generation above her. Ho- 
bab, without. doubt, was well acquainted with the 



100 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

desert. He had always lived upon its borders. 
He knew the dangerous places and the more favor- 
able places for encampment. His presence with 
them, Moses acknowledges, would be of immense 
value. Travelers tell us that it is wonderful how 
the eyes of these desert guides can penetrate into 
long distances. They have been well called " the 
sailors of the desert." Not only so, Moses was 
anxious that he should share in the rich blessings 
promised to his fathers, and which, he doubted 
not, should be inherited by his people. And he 
knew well, if he went with them, " that what good- 
ness the Lord should do unto us, the same will 
we do unto thee." " We will do thee good : for 
the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel." 
Thus the advantage would be mutual, although the 
richer and larger would come to him. There is 
no doubt that Hobab was impressed by this urgent 
request, and consented to go with them ; although 
when it was first mentioned to him he most posi- 
tively declined, and said, " I will not go ; but I will 
depart to mine own land, and to my kindred." In 
Judg. i, 16, we read that the Kenites, descendants 
of Hobab, "went up out of the city of palm-trees 
with the children of Judah into the wilderness of 
Judah, . . . and they went and dwelt among the 
people." Also Jael, who drove the tent-pin into 
the temples of Sisera, was of the same race. It 
seems that in the days of Saul they had gone to 
dwell with the Amalekites ; for when Saul went 
to attack Amalek, he said unto the Kenites, " Go. 



SIL VER TR UMPE TS— 0A r THE MA R CH—HOBA B.101 

depart, and get you down from among the Amalek- 
ites, lest I destroy you with them : for ye showed 
kindness to all the children of Israel, when they 
came out of Egypt." This is their history as fur- 
nished us in the book of God. How illustrative 
this of gospel teaching and preaching ! And what 
an instructive lesson to the Church of Christ in all 
ages! 

We, too, are journeying ; but not to an un- 
known land, unheard of, and unpromised. No ; we 
are journeying to heaven, the city of God. How 
desirous we should be that all our relatives and 
friends should accompany us to that beautiful land. 
We can offer them the highest inducements to go 
with us. The place to which we are going is of 
the most magnificent and glorious character. Its 
mansions and crowns, its harps and songs, its com- 
panionships and joys are supremely grand and 
blessed. No tongue can tell nor words describe 
their glory. And there is room enough there for 
all the world. All are cordially invited to go. No 
doubt can be entertained of the existence of that 
land to which we are journeying, or of our obtain- 
ing it if we make the appropriate effort. The Lord 
hath promised it. He has said, " I will give it to 
you." True, we are in the wilderness now; but 
this is only a temporary thing — only for a little 
while. Then will come the heavenly world, the 
everlasting home, the endless rest. Then there 
will be no more journeying, no more sorrow nor 
pain nor death. Not only can we promise infin- 



102 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

ite, eternal blessings at the end of the journey; 
but richest blessings now and here. If you will go 
with us we will promise you the same living bread 
which comes down from heaven, and the same 
living waters ; refreshing, reviving, soul-purifying 
waters, which flow from the cleft Rock of Ages. 
Thus the Church, as a whole, and its ministry and 
membership, are to keep uttering the cry, " Come 
thou with us, and we will do thee good." O if 
all were thus employed, what wonders should we 
see of converting and saving grace ! 

Verses 33-36. — The chapter closes with the beau- 
tiful form employed by Moses when the cloud rose 
and when it rested. With what confidence this 
mighty chieftain and lawgiver could say as he saw 
the ark of God set forward, borne on the shoulders 
of the Kohathites, " Rise up, Lord, and let thine 
enemies be scattered ; and let them that hate thee 
flee before thee." But it is well worth our while to 
pause a moment here and consider the position of 
the ark as here referred to. " The ark of the cov- 
enant of the Lord went before them." And why 
was this? It was to "search out a resting-place 
for them." It is here presented to us as going 
before the people. So in other places. Whereas, 
in the general arrangement, it was in the center of 
the camp. It is also represented in Josh, iii, 3-1 1 : 
"The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the 
earth passeth over before you into Jordan." But 
we need not suppose that the ark always occupied 
the same place in their journeyings. Indeed, a 



SILVER TRUMPETS— ON THE MARCH— HOBAB. 103 

Jewish rabbi, Ibn Ezra, thinks that this three days' 
journey was different from all the other journeys 
in respect of the position of the ark. But God 
was in the ark and with the ark as well as in the 
cloud, and wherever the ark went there he was, 
" searching out a resting-place for them." And 
when that resting-place was found, then, when the 
ark rested in its place under the curtains of the tab- 
ernacle, how gladly he said, " Return, O Lord, unto 
the many thousands of Israel." Well does Bishop 
Wordsworth say, "The words, Return, O Lord, pre- 
announced the blessed time of rest and peace when 
God would abide with his Church on earth, by the 
gift of the Holy Spirit, and will tabernacle forever 
with his people in heavenly rest and joy."* 

* Vide Rev. vii, 15; xxi, 3. 



T A B E R A H. 



Chapter xi, Verses 1-4. — Murmuring is a char- 
acteristic of our race. No matter how many or 
how great are the blessings which we enjoy, still 
murmurs will arise ; complainings and fault-findings 
will be heard. This is seen in all the journeys of 
Israel. They murmured against God, against Moses 
and Aaron, against the way in which they were go- 
ing, against their food and drink, and, indeed, 
against every thing, This disposition is not only 
unworthy, but it is also exceedingly displeasing to 
God. So says verse 1 : "It displeased the Lord : 
and the Lord heard it ; and his anger was kindled ; 
and the fire of the Lord burned among them, and 
consumed them that were in the uttermost part of 
the camp." The Lord changeth not. He is just 
the same now as he was in the former dispensation. 
His anger is enkindled now against all murmurers 
who despise his mercy and slight his grace. Paul 
wrote to the Corinthians : " Neither murmur ye, as 
some of them also murmured." These complain- 
ers were now in trouble. The fire of God's anger 
was burning fiercely all around them, and they hur- 
ried to Moses for relief. How blessed it is to nave 
some one to run to, and to look up to, who has an 

interest at the throne of grace when we are in trouble 
104 



TABS. RAH. 105 

and distress. Moses, in answer to their request, 
prayed ; and when he had prayed the fire was 
quenched. Some have thought this was the si- 
moom, or fiery south wind, which sometimes blows 
in the Eastern desert, and which stifles' those over 
who^n it sweeps. But we do not think so. The 
tex^ clearly declares it was fire. This was a com- 
mon method of divine judgment in manifesting 
itself against sinners ; and no doubt this was the 
element employed. Indeed, the meaning of the 
word taberah is a burning, showing the character 
of the visitation. But even in the midst of this 
burning there was mercy ; for it was in the utter- 
most part of the camp, and came as a warning to 
them of God's disposition against them on account 
of their sin. 

Verses 4-7. — The mixed multitude. There is no 
doubt that when God brought Israel forth out of the 
land of Egypt, with a high hand and an outstretched 
arm, very many among whom they had lived were 
drawn to go with them. Probably also, there were 
a number of Israelitish women who had married 
Egyptian husbands, and also Egyptian women who 
had married Israelites, so that there was a large 
company of them who, although called Israelites, 
were not, after all, of Israel. Many of their troub- 
les on their journeys and in their camps were occa- 
sioned by them. They were a vulgus promiscnum — 
no doubt numerous — and perhaps ultimately they 
became " hewers of wood and drawers of water." 
But yet, base and common though they were, they 



106 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

influenced often the people of God, and led them 
away after their own evil example, and into then 
own debasing murmuring. How true this is often 
found to be at the present day! In nearly all our 
churches how numerous the murmurers are! And 
when their work is begun, how many are found to 
join them ! Sometimes it is against the minister, 
sometimes against the Church, and sometimes 
against God and every thing that is good. They 
often occasion great trouble and distress, and many 
a minister's life has been worn out by them. Many 
churches have been divided, torn asunder by dis- 
sensions, or destroyed. They have become Tabe- 
rahs — places of burning — and have been swept as 
by a fiery tempest. 

What these complainers now wanted was flesh— 
basar — which also means fish. They immediately 
refer to fish when they say, " We remember the 
fish which we did eat in Egypt freely." Classical 
writers and modern travelers agree in bearing testi- 
mony to the abundance of fish in the Nile and in 
the neighboring canals and reservoirs. Cucumbers 
also were of large size and of fine flavor. The 
water-melons were abundant, and seemed to quench 
their thirst in the heat of that land.* The word 
leeks is the same as is rendered grass for cattle in 
Psa. civ, 14, and is supposed to indicate a species 
of clover which is peculiar to Egypt, of which the 
young and fresh shoots were used as food, and 
said to be an excellent stomachic. The onions of 

* The Land and the Book, p. 508. 



TABERAH. 107 

Egypt are said to be the sweetest and best in the 
world. Even at this day, they are being grown in 
the greatest abundance, and are becoming an article 
of export to other lands.* These all were obtained 
freely, easily, with only the labor of catching the 
fish and of growing the vegetables and fruits. 

But do we not see that they forgot what they 
paid for these things? They forgot just now about 
the brick-kilns, their task-masters, the voice of their 
oppressors, and the sting of their whips. Is it not 
even so in this gospel day? When men grow 
cold and indifferent to the Master's service, how 
they begin to long after worldly pleasures ! How 
they long for the theater, the opera, the ball- 
room, the card-table, and the wine-glass ! How 
weary they grow of divine things, and how they 
pall upon their taste ! They are ready to say, 
" There is nothing at all besides this manna before 
our eyes." This manna! Yes, but it came down 
from heaven ; it was God's rich gift to them. It 
had kept them alive in the desert, and, as Jewish 
writers say, " it was adapted to the taste of all." 
How beautiful it was. The color was " as the 
color of bdellium,'' and it was like coriander seed. 
The taste was like that of fresh oil, and all over the 
dew-covered camp, in the early morning of every 
week-day, the manna was found. Wonderful pro- 
vision ! It really cost them nothing but the labor 
of gathering it. This they ate freely and abun- 
dantly. " Man did eat angels' food." But it was 
* Ellicott. 



108 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

against this God-given manna that they murmured. 
No wonder that the Lord and his servant Moses 
were displeased. Now men murmur against the 
Gospel, which is the bread of heaven to hungry 
souls. They want something new, far-fetched ; 
something that will tickle their fancy, please their 
imagination, and gratify their taste. A true gospel 
minister, in many places, is at a discount now. He 
is either too plain, or not sufficiently scientific, or 
does not use enough slang, or is too denunciatory. 
They would rather go on an excursion into the 
woods, or by the sea-shore, than to hear him. So 
many turn their backs upon the Church, the minis- 
ter, and upon God, and go away after the vanities 
of this perishing world. What a wonder that we 
do not oftener feel the fire and hear the roar of the 
tempest as it sweeps on its destructive course. Yet 
we do hear it. 

Verses II-16. — Moses s despair. He really had 
forgotten his relations to this people, and spoke as 
if the whole burden of their support rested upon 
him. Yet he was only an instrument, an agent for 
the Lord. He certainly took too much upon him- 
self when he inquired, " Whence should / have 
flesh to give to all this people? " No, Moses, you 
certainly cannot do it. But who has asked you, or 
commanded j^/ to do this? God can do it ; but 
you are only a poor helpless worm. And so he 
takes the usual course of discouraged and despair- 
ing men, and wishes that he might die. " Kill me, 
I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in 



TABERAH. 109 

thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness." 
How often this has been the experience of dis- 
couraged and troubled ministers! Discouraged by 
the clamors or fault-findings of their people, or by 
their want of success, like Moses and Elijah they 
have wished to die. 

Verses 16-18. — Help provided. The burden of 
the administration of the tribes of Israel was cer- 
tainly too great for one man. Therefore the Lord 
said unto Moses, " Gather unto me seventy men 
of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be 
the elders of the people, and officers over them." 
The number seventy is often used in the Scriptures. 
It is composed of the two sacred numbers — seven 
and ten — the former being the seal of the covenant, 
and the latter, probably, denoting perfection. It 
is not probable that any one of these had ever 
seen service before ; all were, most likely, new men. 
This is thought by many to be the origin of the 
great Sanhedrin of the Jewish people. The Lord 
promised to " take of the Spirit which was upon 
Moses and give it to them." This was not that he 
should have less; but that they should partake of 
what he promised. Rashi compares the mode of 
bestowal with the manner in which the other lamps 
of the sanctuary were lighted at the golden candle- 
stick, without diminishing the light from which 
theirs was taken. And not only so. These men, 
thus chosen, were to bear a large part of the bur- 
dens which were now pressing upon Moses, so that 
he might not be overweighted with care. Here we 



110 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

find the real secret of church efficiency. Not that 
the minister or pastor should do all the work; but 
that he should associate with himself as many as 
he can, that they may help him bear the burdens 
which otherwise would crush him to the earth. 
Here, too, we see the great fault of many churches, 
where the minister is expected to do every thing. 
Any church which pursues this course will be sure 
to decline and die — to die for want of exercise, or 
for want of work. He is the most successful minis- 
ter who best knows how to set his people to work 
with him, in the same spirit, and anointed and ani- 
mated with the same holy desire. 

Verses 18-21. — Promise of abundance of flesh. 
" Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye 
shall eat flesh. . . . Not one day, nor two days, nor 
five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days ; but even 
a whole month." The request which they made 
was sinful in its character. They should not have 
disappreciated the Lord's provision for them. But 
now that he had determined to provide flesh for 
them, he would show them that " his hand had not 
waxed short ; " they were to eat flesh until it came 
out at their nostrils, and became loathsome to 
them. He would show them that he could just as 
easily provide flesh as bread for them ; but they 
found in the end that the provision which God had 
made for them was the best which he could have 
made. Is it not so with all merely sensual de- 
lights? "They cloy, but they do not satisfy."* 

* Henry. 



TABERAH. Ill 

All those sensual things of food or drink become 
nauseous to those who have lusted after them, so 
vain are they all. Not so, however, with spiritual 
comforts. The manna never nauseated the true 
Israelite. It was always sweet and pleasant to 
him. So are spiritual joys to spiritual people. 
They never cloy, they always satisfy the soul, and 
all its longings are for more. 

Verses 21-23.— The distrust of Moses. How 
strangely sounds this talk of Moses. This man, 
who seems never before to have distrusted God, 
now utters the language of distrust. Lord, what is 
man? What a bundle of infirmities and inconsist- 
encies ! " Shall the flocks and herds be slain for 
them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the 
sea be gathered together for them, to suffice 
them ? " He talks now as if God had not sup- 
plied them in the past. He limits the power 
of the Almighty. Ellicott says that the defi- 
nite article is not used here, nor the possessive 
pronoun — merely the words flocks and herds, and 
so are not confined to those which had been 
brought out of Egypt. How near the encamp- 
ment of Israel was now to the y£lanitic Gulf is 
not known. Perhaps near enough to suggest the 
gathering of all its fishes for their use. But when 
God makes a promise he knows how he will fulfill 
it. It was not with flocks, or with fish, or herds, 
but with the little quail, that all this longing was to 
be met and the sinful lust supplied. How often 
persons become weary of hearing the Gospel— of 



112 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

feasting upon divine things. And especially is this 
so when grace is declining, and the soul is becoming 
dyspeptic, and the appetite is weak. Then their 
soul loatheth this light food, by which, they say, it. 
is dried away. Not unfrequently they will leave 
the minister of a pure Gospel for a sensational 
preacher, or sensational sermons, and begin to long 
after those worldly pleasures which, sooner or 
later, will surely pall on their taste. How often do 
God's true followers need to hear this question, 
" Is the Lord's arm shortened ? " They are often 
weak, often troubled and discouraged ; their poor 
blind eyes do not see the light, and weakness and 
infirmity press upon them. But when they hear 
the Lord saying, " My arm is not shortened" — 
" thou shalt see now whether my word come to 
pass or not ; " then their courage revives, and their 
faith becomes strengthened. 

Verses 26-31. — Eldad and Medad. As soon as 
this instructive scene was passed, " the seventy 
men were gathered round about the tabernacle. 
Then the Lord came down, and took of the spirit 
which was upon Moses and put it upon them." 
Then they began to prophesy "and did not cease." 
We are to remember here that the word prophesy 
does not always mean to foresee, or foretell future 
events. It means frequently to exhort, to pray, to 
celebrate the praises of the Lord with the voice, or 
with instruments of music. But it is not prophecy 
unless it be done under the inspiration and energy 
of the Holy Spirit. This makes the heart warm ; 



TABERAH. 113 

this causes the words to bubble up like the boiling 
spring ; and this gives ability to do the work of the 
Lord. It is under this power that Christians sing 
and pray and testify and preach. So the prophets 
foresaw and foretold future events. We do not 
know why Eldad and Medad did not come to the 
tabernacle. Henry thinks it was because they 
modestly declined preferment ; but God forces it 
upon them. One thing is certain here — they are 
named, while the others were not. When, how- 
ever, they begin to prophesy in the camp, it creates 
a real sensation. A very zealous young man ran 
and told Moses of the fact ; and Joshua, regard- 
ing the whole matter as an unbearable irregularity 
says : " My lord Moses, forbid them." The mo- 
tive which prompted Joshua in making this request 
appears to have been similar to that which led St. 
John to forbid the man to cast out devils — demons 
--because he did not follow with the apostles. Mark 
ix, 38, 39 ; Luke ix, 49, 50.* But as the man did not 
cast out demons in his own name, but in that of 
Christ, so in this case Eldad and Medad prophe- 
sied by the power of the Spirit which rested on 
them from above. There can be no doubt that this 
same spirit prevails largely in the exclusiveness of 
some of our Churches. The Baptist might cry out, 
of an unimmersed man partaking the communion 
with them, " Forbid him." The Episcopalian 
might say of another minister, who had not been 
ordained by a bishop of his Church, " Forbid him." 
8 * Ellicott. 



114 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

So it has been in the ages past ; so it is still. 
Sometimes this has been said, and backed up by 
severe persecution. This same spirit shut up 
John Bunyan in prison, persecuted the Method- 
ists, and shows its narrowness and exclusiveness all 
along the centuries. The cry has been against 
earnest men, but not in the regular order, " Forbid 
them." So Mr. Wesley himself hastened to Lon- 
don to forbid Maxfleld from preaching. But his 
saintly mother said to him, " Be careful what you 
say to that young man ; he is as much called of 
God to preach as you are." These instances are 
innumerable. A few years ago Rev. Mr. Tyng 
preached in a Methodist pulpit. Rev. Mr. Tubbs, 
rector in the same city, appealed to the bishop, 
" My lord Potter, forbid him." He was arraigned, 
tried, and reproved for so doing. 

The answer of Moses was exceedingly timely and 
good — " Enviest thou for my sake? would God 
that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that 
the Lord would put his Spirit upon them." This 
prayer is needed now in the Church. For years 
gone by the Church, like Israel of old, has put all 
its work on the minister. Now the time has come 
when every member must feel, " I have a work to 
do." This work will differ in its character and 
form ; but all are required to engage in doing 
something for the upbuilding of the Master's king- 
dom. The old, the young, the rich, the poor, the 
high, the low, the learned, the ignorant, all may 
become the Lord's prophets — all may do the 



TABERAH. lit 

Lord's work. " Would God all the Lord's people 
were prophets ! " 

Verses 31-35. — The quails have come. They came 
thick and fast. They came till they covered the 
earth to the depth of two cubits. Then they were 
captured, killed, and dried in the sun for future use. 
Every man brought to his home ten omers, or be- 
tween five and six bushels, according to the rab- 
binists. This was the time of the migration of 
quails in vast flocks. From their weak power of 
flight they instinctively avail themselves of every 
island as a resting-place. Thus Malta and Capri, 
and other islands in the Mediterranean, are often 
covered in the spring-time. Their winters are spent 
in Central Africa, and, in coming back to Syria, they 
skirt the western side of the Red Sea, crossing its 
narrowest part. They are often so utterly wearied 
by the passage that, like the woodcocks of England, 
they may be taken in the hand. They fly also 
very low. Dr. Tristram says : " I have myself been 
fortunate enough to be a witness of this quail mi- 
gration, both in African and Asiatic deserts. I 
have seen them in the morning covering many 
acres, where not one had been seen on the night be- 
fore." But while " the flesh was yet between their 
teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was 
kindled against the people, and the Lord smote 
the people with a very great plague." No doubt 
in their greed for flesh they surfeited themselves, 
although God designed to plague them for their 
murmuring. Fearful was the plague, and fearful 



116 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK: OF NUMBERS. 

was the name given to the place where the lust and 
the plague occurred — Kibroth-Hattaavah, that is, 
the graves of lust — " because there they buried the 
people that lusted." It is in like manner that God 
plagues the churches that forsake a pure Gospel 
for the unsound, but generally popular, teachings 
which some — professedly ministers of the Gospel — 
teach. They become disunited, disintegrated, di- 
vided, dead. Over the doors of many of them 
might be written, Kibroth-Hattaavah. " He gave 
them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." 



MIRIAM AND MOSES. 



Chapter xii, Verses 1-16. — Here is an insurrec- 
tion. The probability is, that Zipporah, the first 
wife of Moses, was dead, and that he had married 
an Ethiopian, or Cushite woman. She may have 
come with them out of Egypt, or she may have been 
found dwelling in Arabia. The law did not prohibit 
such marriages — the prohibition was against the Ca- 
naanites. Some think otherwise of this transaction, 
and say the trouble was raised because of the sup- 
posed undue influence which was exerted on Moses 
by the family of Hobab in the government of Israel. 
But, if this were so, would we not have heard of it 
before this? The trouble evidently was about 
"the Ethiopian woman whom he had married." It 
can scarcely have reference to one whom he had 
married forty years before. The difficulty is with 
the Cushite ; and against her Aaron and Miriam 
level their shafts. The fault charged against Moses 
is not mismanagement, but monopolization. They 
insinuate by the question asked, " Hath the Lord 
indeed spoken only by Moses?" that they were as 
much interested in the government as he was, and 
as much inspired. For " hath he not also spoken 
by us?" Indeed, did not Moses speak of the slow- 
ness of his speech? And did not the Lord ap- 

117 



118 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

point Aaron to be his spokesman? Exod. iv, 16. 
Then was not Miriam, also, recognized as a proph- 
etess? Exod. xv, 20. Was it not strange that a 
sister and a brother should so seriously make these 
charges? Does it not show to us clearly how pow- 
erful and how malicious envy is ? and that jealousy 
will burn like fire ? There can be no doubt that 
Miriam was the leader in this matter, and she had 
by some means inveigled Aaron in with her. It 
may be Aaron was made a little sore-hearted by the 
appointment of the seventy elders, about which 
he had not been consulted. He was evidently, at 
times, a very weak man; and who is not? Even 
he, although the high-priest of the Lord, had many 
infirmities. How weak and frail poor human nature 
is ! And even she who was a prophetess, and had 
sounded the " timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea," shows 
the greatest and grossest weakness. Lord, what is 
man? And, Lord, what is woman? 

How many such scenes have been witnessed 
since then ! Surely every man, in every dispensa- 
tion, who has been called to prominence in the 
service of the Lord has been similarly assailed. 
And how often has it been found that a " man's 
foes are those of his own household." It is very 
difficult for us to see even our dearest friends pro- 
moted, or preferred before us. How fearfully it 
rings out from this verse 2, " And the Lord heard 
it." It is not said that Moses himself took any 
notice of it. It was not proper, it was not neces- 
sary that he should do so. God was his refuge and 



MIRIAM AND MOSES. 119 

his defense ; and he at once took up the cause 
of his injured servant. Blessed be God ; in the 
midst of our greatest trials God appears for us. 
"The battle is" not ours, but " the Lord's." He 
keeps us " secretly in a pavilion from the strife 
of tongues." 

Verse 3. — Moses the meekest man. Here infidel- 
ity thinks it finds an argument against the authen- 
ticity of this book, or against its Mosaic authorship. 
As an infidel Jew once said to me, " Ah, Moses — 
that man who wrote his life after he was dead," 
referring to Deut. xxxiv, so infidels say — " No 
man could ever have written this word of himself." 
But let us not be too hasty in judging of this mat- 
ter. Some have endeavored to solve this difficulty 
by saying that the compiler of this book, probably, 
inserted this here. And this is very probable, as in 
the case before-mentioned. This might have been 
done without any injury to the sacred text. But is 
this necessary ? Did not the Son of God, the 
Saviour of men, say of himself, " I am meek, and 
lowly in heart?" Might not his greatest servant 
under the Old Testament dispensation say this 
of himself? If he had said it the words afford 
no ground of objection against the writer, or against 
the genuineness or authenticity of his writings, 
and least of all can they be justly objected to in 
the case of those who, like Moses and Paul, were 
ever ready to sacrifice their own personality in the 
great cause to which they had devoted their lives. 
Yet, again, the word anav, which is here translated 



120 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

"meek," is frequently interchanged with the cog- 
nate word ani, and the meaning of that is " bowed 
down," or " oppressed." * 

Verses 4-18. — God's command. "Come out ye 
three into the tabernacle of the congregation." 
What a moment was this! Here were the two 
guilty parties, and here was the meek, innocent 
man against whom the venom of their tongues had 
been cast. And above all was the almighty God ! 
The words which he spake were few, but how 
mighty, how terrible, they were! He shows them 
the difference between his own servant Moses and 
an ordinary prophet. Moses was a prophet, but he 
was more than a prophet. He was God's servant in 
a high and extraordinary sense. To the prophet 
the Lord would make known his will in a vision, or 
dream ; but with Moses it was not so ; for with him 
God spoke " mouth to mouth, even apparently, 
and not in dark speeches," that is, in riddles, or 
enigmas. He beheld " the similitude of the Lord." 
See now the honor which God puts upon him. 
" He is faithful in all mine house," he says ; and 
Paul quotes these words in Heb. iii, 5. Such, there- 
fore, being the relation of Moses unto me, " were 
ye not afraid to speak against my servant " — 
against Moses ? (as in the original). God was very 
angry with them, so much so that " the cloud de- 
parted from off the tabernacle ; and, behold, Miriam 
became leprous, white as snow." What a sight it 
must have been for Aaron to look upon his sister, 
* Ellicott. 



MIRIAM AND MOSES. 121 

and " behold she was leprous." No wonder that 
he said to Moses, " Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, 
lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done 
foolishly, and wherein we have sinned." 

Two forms of judgment are here expressed : 
First, the cloud was withdrawn, and secondly, 
Miriam was a leper. This withdrawal of the cloud 
was very different from its being " lifted up" when 
they came to depart on their journeyings. When 
the cloud was withdrawn it was the token of the 
withdrawal of the divine presence and protection. 
And the leprosy, white as snow, which was in 
Miriam's face, Aaron could see it readily. He 
could not doubt that God had smitten her because 
of her foolishness and her sin. Then, too, the 
crushing thought was present with him that he was 
in this business, a participator in this sin, and, con- 
sequently, a sharer in its guilt. How humiliating 
was all this to him, as well as to her! To him 
came also the mortification which comes to the 
misdoer — he has at once to acknowledge the 
superiority of his brother, and to plead with him 
for deliverance from the penalties which were 
their due. Behold the goodness, the meekness 
of this great man ! Unmoved by their envy and 
jealousy, he prayed, " Heal her now, O God, I 
beseech thee." 

This plague came upon Miriam because she was 
the first in the sin. There was no penalty visibly 
inflicted upon Aaron; but doubtless for all the 
remainder of his life he felt the mortification of his 



122 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

sin, in seeing the great mistake and the great fool- 
ishness which he had done. 

Moses prayed that Miriam might not be as "one 
dead." The leper was as one dead in two respects : 
First, as being shut out from intercourse with his 
brethren ; and secondly, as causing physical defile- 
ment to any one brought in contact with him. 
Archbishop Trench says : " Here was a dreadful 
parable of death ; for there was, in severe cases, a 
dissolution, little by little, of the whole body, so 
that one limb after another decayed and fell away." 

Verse 14. — Spitting in the face. " If her father 
had but spit in her face," etc. In the East this is 
regarded as the greatest indignity, and, indeed, in 
this country it is the same. The widow was to 
spit in the face of her late husband's brother, if he 
refused to marry her. Job says of his enemies, 
" They spare not to spit in my face." And they 
did spit in the Master's face. A person thus in- 
sulted would naturally seek for instant revenge, or 
would be, at least, greatly ashamed. A master 
whose slave has deeply offended him will not beat 
him, but spit in his face ; or sometimes will order a 
servant to do it. School-masters also in Eastern 
countries, when displeased with a scholar, will spit 
in his face, or order some one else to do it. So 
Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, 
because the Lord had been displeased with her. 

Let me add. No one can fully estimate the dis- 
pleasure of God against those who speak evil of his 
ministers, or of his own people. Many persons speak 



MIRIAM AND MOSES 123 

evil of God's ministers, injure their influence, and 
ruin their reputation; and, alas! even some women 
are largely given to this. Miriam stands forth as a 
fearful representative of such people, and of the con- 
sequences of so doing. They should remember that 
God has said, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my 
prophets no harm." It has come within my own 
knowledge, and I might say, also, within my own 
experience, of persons, who, without any foundation 
for it, have spoken evil of God's ministers. I have 
watched them, and seen how the displeasure of 
God has been manifested against them. I have 
seen some of them, men of wealth and high social 
position, whose wealth has been seen to perish in a 
few short years, and who have been brought down 
into the dust ; and others, who have held high posi- 
tions in the Church and in the government, who 
have lost their positions, and been degraded in 
their character. Indeed, I am satisfied, after many 
years of careful observation, that no one can en- 
gage in this work without some marked visitation 
of the Lord's anger. He hears it all, he marks it 
all, and he will punish all who do it. 



THE SPIES SEARCHING OUT THE LAND. 



Chapter xiii, Verses 1-26. — " Send thou men, 
that they may search the land of Canaan." They 
had now come so near the land that there was a 
desire to know more about it. So the Lord gave 
the command, which was cheerfully responded to 
by Moses and all the people. Deut. i, 22. There 
can be no doubt that the plan originated with the 
Lord. Moses would not have engaged in such an 
enterprise without the Lord's approval, and, acting 
thus, the people acted with him. We cannot think 
from the history of the affair that the Lord was 
displeased with them for it. There is no evidence 
whatever of this. His displeasure was on account 
of the report which the majority brought back, and 
the murmurings of the people when they heard it. 
There can be no doubt that they might have gone 
up easily at that time if their unbelief had not pre- 
vented them. Rameses II. had overrun the land, 
and had carried away an immense amount of plun- 
der, in gold, silver, and precious things. Indeed, 
he had well-nigh wasted them. Their defenses 
were weakened, their spirit was broken, and with a 
million of armed men — rude as their arms were — 
they might easily have captured it all. But this 

was not to be so now. 
124 



THE SPIES SEARCHING OUT THE LAND. 125 

Twelve men were selected, rulers among the 
people, yet not having the same names as appear 
among the tribal names of the census. It is really 
wonderful that only two names of the twelve have 
come down to us with honor — Caleb and Joshua. 
It may be a matter of interest to know the mean- 
ing of their names, Shammua signifies " a minor;" 
Shaphat, "a judge ;" Caleb, "a dog" (what a watch- 
ful and faithful one was he !) Igal, " God will avenge ;" 
Oshoa, or Joshua, " God will save ;" Palti, " deliver- 
ance of Jehovah ;" Gaddiel, " fortune of God ;" Gad- 
di, " fortunate ;" Ammiel, "kindred of God ;" Sethur, 
"a covert;" Nahbi, "hidden;" Geuel, "the majesty 
of God." From their high character and relations it 
would seem to us that they were wisely chosen. They 
must have known well the language of Canaan, and 
also have been expert in concealing their designs. 
Had the Canaanites suspected their designs, or 
known that they were spies from an enemy's camp 
upon their borders, it is not probable that they would 
have escaped alive. Probably, they went about in 
twos and threes, and in different directions, so as 
to compass the land in the briefest time. Their 
general appearance must have been similar ; there 
could have been nothing to suggest that they were 
foreigners. It was the season of vintage and fruit- 
age, says Kitto. They saw that it was really a land 
" flowing with milk and honey." They saw the 
beauty of its vales and hills ; but they saw also the 
giants, and were awfully afraid of them. They saw 
the luscious fruits of grapes and figs and pome- 



126 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

granatcs. In the South country they saw the 
Negeb, by which name this region was known. 
It formed the transition from the desert to the now 
highly cultivated lands, and was more fitted for 
grazing than for agricultural purposes. It was in 
the vale of Eshcol, near Hebron, that they saw a 
remarkable cluster of grapes. This they cut, and 
bore it upon a pole to the camp. Some persons 
have smiled at the idea of such a cluster of grapes. 
But this is because they do not know how grapes 
grow in this region. Ritter says that the grapes 
of Hebron have a great reputation throughout 
Palestine. Many travelers estimate the weight of 
the largest clusters produced in Palestine at from 
ten to twelve pounds. Kitto mentions the fact of 
a Syrian vine at Welbeck, the seat of the Duke of 
Portland. A bunch of grapes was sent from this 
vine, in 1819, as a present to the marquis of Rock- 
ingham, which weighed nineteen pounds. It was 
conveyed to its destination, more than twenty 
miles distant, on a staff by four laborers, two 
by two in rotation. The greatest diameter of this 
Welbeck cluster was nineteen inches and a half, 
its circumference four feet and a half, and its 
length nearly twenty three inches. Thus in our 
modern times a great illustration was given of 
the size of these clusters and of the method of 
their transportation. The pomegranates and figs 
were probably carried on the small staff. The 
words may be rendered thus : " And they bore it 
between two upon a staff; also some of the figs and 



THE SPIES SEARCHING OUT THE LAND. 127 

promegranates.' 4 '* These were probably the last 
vines which they saw, and they were the nearest to 
their encampment. 

So all Israel saw and tasted the luscious fruits of 
the promised land. True, they were only samples ; 
but how beautiful and how rich they were! God's 
people in this day have foretastes of the heavenly 
country and their eternal home. The seasons of 
sweet communion with God, of fellowship with his 
people, are blessed, because they indicate what that 
heavenly home will be when they reach it. 

" The hill of Zion yields 

A thousand sacred sweets ; 
Before we reach the heavenly fields, 

Or walk the golen streets." 

The evil report. When they returned, they told 
Moses that they had been through the land, and 
"surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this 
is the fruit of it." But they added, " The people 
be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are 
walled, and very great : the Anakim are there ; and 
the Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, and 
Canaanites." Then a murmur arose among the 
people, and Caleb and Joshua stilled the people 
before Moses and said, " Let us go up at once and 
possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." 
Then the majority answered more formally, " We be 
not able to go up against the people; for they are 
stronger than we. , . . The land . . . eateth up the in- 
habitants thereof." This was probably said because 
* Ellicott. 



128 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

of the strife and discord which prevailed among the 
various tribes who contended for its possession.* 
Then they saw those dreadful giants, in whose pres- 
ence they were " as grasshoppers, and so we were 
in their sight." This was the majority report — ■ 
a report which indicates unbelief, faithlessness, 
cowardice, and timidity. What if the people were 
strong; was not the Lord God of their fathers 
Almighty ? What if the cities were walled up to 
heaven ; could not God bring them down, even 
with the blast of rams' horns? What were the 
giants, dwelling in the mountains, if God was with 
them ? Forty years after this, in a few days they 
were all conquered. So Caleb says now, " Let us 
go up at once and possess it [not conquer it] for God 
will do that for us." 

What an illustration this of unbelief. Men know 
now of the goodly land — the land of holiness and 
perfect love. And when they see it, or hear of it, 
they cry, It is a goodly land — a land of milk and 
honey ; but we cannot go up and dwell there. 
There are so many difficulties in the way; so many 
giants to be overcome. It is because of this that 
many live on in the wilderness of doubts and fears, 
and many die there, and never reach this promised 
land. Had they been true to God, how soon they 
would have been in this land ! But by their un- 
belief they are caused to wander many years in the 
desert land. In three short months they might 
have marched from Egypt into Canaan, but it took 

* Ellicott. 



THE SPIES SEARCHING OUT THE LAND. 129 

them forty years to reach it. 0, if we look at the 
membership of our churches, and see their unbe- 
belief, we shall not wonder that so many are weak 
and sickly, faint and dying! Why do they not 
obey the divine command, and go up at once and 
possess the goodly land ? No doubt can exist as 
to its beauty and desirableness ; but the majority 
still fear the giants. Well does Wesley sing: 

" O that I might at once go up ; 
No more on this side Jordan stop, 

But now the land possess ; 
This moment end my legal years, 
Sorrows and sins and doubts and fears, 

A howling wilderness." 



MURMURING S. 



Chapter xiv, Verses i-ii.— A murmuring spirit 
is always an unbelieving and unhappy one. So it 
was now. The people not only murmured against 
Aaron and Moses, but they murmured against God. 
It was an open and defiant rebellion against heaven. 
Hear what they say : " Wherefore hath the Lord 
brought us into this land, to fall by the sword, that 
our wives and our children should be a prey?" 
This was fearful, especially after all the great good- 
ness which the Lord had shown to them. Then they 
wished they had died, and they proposed to make 
for themselves a captain and return to Egypt. 
They were now so near the Amorites and the 
Anakim that they apprehended nothing less than 
that they would come out and destroy them. How 
unwise and foolish were these unbelieving clam- 
ors ! But for all this the majority report of the 
spies was largely accountable. It would seem as if 
that report had been rendered with the design of 
intimidating them. Suppose that what they say 
was all true — what then? Did not the Lord 
open the waters of the Red Sea to make them a 
way? Did he not destroy Egypt to deliver them? 
Had he not fed them with manna from heaven, 

and given them water to drink from the flinty 
130 



MURMURINGS, 131 

rock? You will observe that neither Caleb nor 
Joshua deny their report ; they only add that, if 
it is all true what they say, still " we are able 
to go up and possess the land." Moses himself 
acknowledged, nearly forty years after this, when 
they were about to enter into the land, "Thou art 
to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess 
nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities 
great and fenced up to heaven, a people great and 
tall, the children of the Anakim." Deut. ix, I, 2. 
At this time they believe they can enter in ; but at 
the period now under consideration they believed 
they could not enter in. Indeed, when Caleb and 
Joshua attempted to interfere to calm their wild ex- 
citement, the princes, the elders of the people, as their 
representatives, " bade stone them with stones." 
What a scene would have been enacted if God had 
not at once appeared ! Stoning was a mode of death 
commonly employed in Egypt. So under the 
Jewish law this method was adopted in all the ages 
of their history. It was the punishment for adul- 
tery, idolatry, witchcraft, Sabbath-breaking, and 
blasphemy. So David was threatened by his men 
centuries after, in the case of the destruction of 
Ziklag; and so the angel-faced Stephen was put to 
death by his enemies shortly after his Lord and 
Master had ascended to heaven. And, if Christ 
had been put to death under the Jewish law, this 
would have been its mode ; but crucifixion was the 
Roman mode of punishment. 

Yes, they murmured seriously and aggravatedly, 



132 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

and so have we. Dispensations do not change 
men, nor human hearts. Multitudes live this day 
in murmuring and grumbling streets, and often 
they speak even against the Lord. They certainly 
often speak against his ministers, and not unfre- 
quently against himself. There are many now who 
wish to die because of adverse providences, and 
many put an end to their own earthly existence. 
Many would, and, alas ! many do retire from his 
service and become worldly and cold and dead. 
Again, there are those who refuse to march up to 
their privilege in the Gospel. Before their eyes is 
spread out the Canaan of perfect love, smiling in 
its beauty, flowing with milk and honey : 

" A land of corn and wine and oil, 
Favored with God's peculiar smile, 
With every blessing blest." 

But they will not go up and possess it. They 
have fears about their reputation and about their 
standing in their temporal interests. And so they 
listen to others when they say, " You can't go up 
and possess this land." Your temper or your 
trade, your family or your surroundings in life — 
your official board or your church— are in your 
way — and if you go against them you will suffer. 
And so they go back into the desert-land, and are 
hindered from enjoying the rich blessings which 
the Lord has provided for them. O how many 
thousands are in these environments to-day ! If 
they would only listen to the voice of the Lord, 
and regard the truth of his promises, and the might 



MURMURINGS. 133 

and power of his arm ! But the time is coming on 
when the whole Church will go up and possess this 
goodly land, and dwell in it forever. 

Just now, however, the doubters and unbelievers 
prevail. Atheism, pantheism, materialism, latitu- 
dinarianism and credophobia, all are ranged in bat- 
tle against the truth; and to these may be added, 
Phariseeism and worldliness. As good old John 
Bunyan has well said : " Ten thousand doubters, 
and fifteen thousand bloodmen ; and old Incredu- 
lity was again made general of the army." But 
the triumph and the victory will come, and God 
will be glorified by his victorious hosts as they take 
possession of this Canaan-land. 

Look now ! The cloud has suddenly appeared 
over the tabernacle ! Hark now ! The voice of 
God is speaking, and he is speaking in wrath. 
" How long will this people provoke me? and how 
long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs 
which I have showed among them ? I will smite 
them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and 
make of thee a greater nation and mightier than 
they." This is the time for Moses to plead with 
God. And he bases his plea on the honor and 
glory of the Lord. The " Egyptians knew what the 
Lord had already done for them ; and they would 
tell it to the inhabitants of the land of Canaan that 
the Lord is in the midst of them, and is seen face 
to face, and his cloud standeth over them, and that 
he goes before them. And now, if this people are 
all slain, then it will be reported that thou art not 



134 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

able to bring this people into the land which thou 
hast sworn to give them." what a plea was 
this ! Still further he pleads, " The power and the 
mercy of the Lord are great, and thou hast forgiven 
the people from Egypt until now ! " The prayer 
prevailed — the pardon was bestowed so far as to 
prevent their extermination — but judgments were 
also announced which were to continue until nearly 
forty years had passed ; until they who had seen 
his glory in Egypt, and the miracles which he 
wrought, and his wonders in the wilderness, should 
be destroyed, and their children should come into 
the possession of the land. Only two exceptions 
are mentioned in this decree ; namely, Caleb, who 
alone is spoken of here, and Joshua, who in all 
other places is announced with him, hereafter. 
Besides them, also, were the Levites, and all under 
twenty years of age. So the pardon prevented the 
destruction; and while millions would fall in the 
wilderness, millions more would be prepared, ulti- 
mately, to enter Canaan. 

Thus, while judgments are announced, they are 
mingled with mercy. Besides this, these forty 
years spent in the wilderness would harden them, 
soldierize them, and make them ready for the rapid 
conquest of the land when the time for their return 
into it should come. Perhaps they never would 
have conquered the land so quickly had they not 
been thus disciplined. So the Lord " makes even 
the wrath of man to praise him, and restrains the 
remainder of wrath." 



MURMURINGS. 135 

We cannot tell why the Lord has permitted such 
multitudes of his people by unbelief to come short 
of this Canaan-land. It is, certainly, a mystery that 
the eyes of these multitudes should seem to be 
holden from seeing the light of such heavenly pro- 
visions and assurances. While the number within 
the past century has been constantly growing of 
those who dwell, in a spiritual sense, in this holy 
land, and while the light is daily spreading, the very 
large proportion of the people of the Lord do not 
enter in. But the time will come when this premil- 
lennial experience will be universal, and the whole 
Church will rise up to enter in and possess this good- 
ly land. The Lord hasten it in his time. Amen. 

Verses 25-36. — The sad return to the wilderness. 
It was a pity when they had come so near to 
Canaan — right on its borders — that their unbelief 
should drive them back again into the wilderness, 
but so it was. How long was the period ordained 
for these wanderings ! The largest part of forty 
years was thus consumed. We must remember that 
this period was reckoned from the exodus, and not 
from the return of the spies to Kadesh. The number- 
ing which is recorded in chapter xxvi of this book 
took place after the death of Aaron, which occurred 
on the first day of the fifth month of the fiftieth 
year after the exodus. Hence it follows that the 
year and a half which had elapsed since the exodus 
must be included in the forty years of shepherd life 
in the wilderness.* This would make thirty-eight 
* Ellicott. 



136 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

years and a half of farther wanderings. And what 
years they were ! Years of murmuring, plague, and 
death. Their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Each 
day of the searching of the land was to be the period 
of a year for their suffering of these things. In like 
manner God's judgments are poured forth upon the 
unbelieving and the disobedient. They could have 
gone in at the time when Caleb and Joshua made 
their good report had they believingly accepted it ; 
but they rejected their report, threatened to stone 
them, and acted wholly upon the report of the ma- 
jority of the spies. How well Paul uses this in Heb. 
iv, 1-6: "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being 
left us of entering into his rest, any of you should 
seem to come short of it." To us the Gospel of a rest 
— a rest from sin and unbelief — is preached. How 
does this affect us ? Do we believe it ? Or do we, 
like Israel, disbelieve and disobey ? Shall we allow 
this word of promise to be declared unto us and we 
not believe it ? And how can we expect, if we dis- 
believe it, that we shall be dealt with any differently 
from the way in which Israel was treated ? Did not 
God swear in his wrath that they should not enter 
in ? And shall we not be excluded if we do as they 
did ? It certainly remaineth for some to enter in, 
and shall we be like the multitude who enter not in 
because of unbelief; or shall we be like Caleb and 
Joshua, following the Lord fully, and believing his 
promise, and his oath ? How much in our religious 
life will depend upon the answer which we give to 
these questions ! 



MURMURINGS. 137 

Verses 36-38. — The judgment on the men who 
brought the evil report. " They died by the plague 
before the Lord." The word maggephah, which 
is here rendered plague, denotes " a stroke." The 
same word is used in Exod. ix, 14, of the ten 
plagues of Egypt. It is used also in Num. xvi, 
48, 49, after the insurrection of Korah ; in chap, 
xxv, 9, after the Israelites had joined in the lasciv- 
ious and idolatrous rites of the Moabites and Mid- 
ianites. Sometimes it is used of destruction by the 
sword, as in 1 Sam. iv, 17; 2 Sam. xvii, 9, and 
xviii, 7. No doubt it was a sudden and overwhelm- 
ing visitation which fell upon them all, and left 
no doubt upon the Israelites as to the falsity of 
their conclusions about what they had seen. Their 
sin was a double one : first, they sinned by bringing 
such a report ; and secondly, they caused Israel to 
sin. If they had died the ordinary death of men, 
there might have been many who would have 
thought and said, " After all, they were about 
right." But now, when they were so suddenly and 
so fearfully stricken, no doubt could be entertained. 

Verses 39-45. — Their murmuring and their pre- 
sumption. They certainly had occasion to mourn. 
The . decree of Jehovah that they all, who were 
adults, must die in the wilderness, and that only 
their children were subsequently to enter into the 
land of Canaan, was sufficient to produce intense 
sorrow. But why did they mourn ? Was it in sor- 
row for their sins, or because of their punishment? 
There can be no doubt that it was the latter reason. 



138 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

They " found no place for repentance, though they 
sought it earnestly with tears." How much better 
it is always to believe God than to give way to our 
doubts, or listen to our fears or our unbelief. And 
yet multitudes give themselves up in this day to 
lives of mourning and sorrow, yea, even to an eter- 
nity of woe, by just listening to these things rather 
than to God. When shall we learn how much bet- 
ter it is to believe and obey God than to regard 
the voice of Satan, or of unbelief! Unbelieving 
always begets presumption. " But they presumed to 
go up unto the hill top." This was nothing but pre- 
sumption. God had given them no command to go 
up. He had not promised them his presence. Yea, 
they were assured that he would not go up with 
them ; and yet, after all, they essayed to go up. 
But they only went up to their discomfiture, and 
the destruction of many lives. The Amalekites 
were there before them. Perhaps they were there 
lying in wait for them in the valley, to attack them 
if they came that way, and had learned of their de- 
signed attempt to try the mountain route, and had 
gone to meet them there. So it befell them as the 
Lord had declared to them. Already the decree 
began to be fulfilled — their carcasses were already 
beginning to fall in the wilderness. When men turn 
away from the Lord, the Lord turns away from 
them. If God is not with us we had better never 
undertake to move forward. And for any one to 
try presumptuously to go forward when God is 
against him is the boldest and most daring thing to 



MURMUR1NGS. 139 

do, and must result in fearful manifestations of the 
divine displeasure against him. Israel, engaged in 
this presumptuous march, was smitten and discour- 
aged, and driven back even unto Hormah. " Here 
the definite article is employed — the Hormah. If 
the Hormah which is here mentioned is identical 
with the Hormah of chap, xxi, 3, where the definite 
article is not employed, and with the Hormah of 
Judg. i, 17, we must conclude that the name is used 
proleptically, as is not unfrequently the case in the 
Scriptures. It is probable, however, that in each case 
a different place is denoted by a common name." * 
There is much force in this name. Hormah means 
destruction. And no doubt many were slain in the 
retreat, and thus the judgment of God was rendered 
against them. Is not this significant of the destruc- 
tion which awaits the unbelieving? Is it not said 
that " he that believeth not shall be damned?" Is 
it not said that those who obey not the gospel 
" shall be punished with everlasting destruction from 
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
power?" And again, " if ye believe not that I am 
he, ye shall die in your sin ; and if ye die in your 
sins, where I am ye cannot come." So that the Hor- 
mah to which Israel was driven may be only too apt 
an illustration of the hell to which the sinner will be 
driven by the wrath of God. It is indeed " a fearful 
thing to fall into the hands of the living God." He 
will not suffer his promises to be disbelieved with 
impunity, nor his commands to be disobeyed. 
•Ellicott. 



SINS OF IGNORANCE AND OF PRESUMP- 
TION. 



Chapter xv, Verses 1-14.—" It must be re- 
membered that when the Lord gave his law on 
Mt. Sinai it was that it might be observed in 
Canaan. They had not as yet incurred the sen- 
tence of exclusion, and they might — and if they 
had not been disobedient they would — have been 
in Canaan within a fortnight of its delivery." * 
But they murmured against God in Kadesh, 
and were excluded. Why did they not enter in? 
Why was this exclusion ? It was not by the decree 
of God simply that they suffered this. It was by 
their own voluntary unbelief. They forfeited the 
privileges of obedience. There is no evidence that 
they ever kept more than one passover, or that they 
practiced circumcision in the wilderness. They 
were a doomed generation, under the ban of God's 
displeasure. Before they ultimately took possession 
of the land of promise they were circumcised and 
allowed to keep the passover only after they had 
conquered it. 

Is it not so in the gospel dispensation ? No man 
is absolutely excluded from heaven simply by a di- 

140 * Bishop Wordsworth. 



S/JVS OF IGNORANCE AND OF PRESUMPTION. 141 

vine decree. If any man suffer this doom it is be- 
cause of his own sin and unbelief. No man is con- 
demned of God until he has condemned himself. 
No man is damned, only as he damns himself. 
Man's eternal condition is made dependent on man's 
voluntary action. 

Verses 14-16. — Kindness to strangers. The whole 
Mosaic dispensation recognized the equal rights and 
privileges of the stranger sojourning with them. One 
ordinance was for both ; for the children of Israel 
and the stranger. Thus the Lord showed kindness 
to the strangers under the law. They were not to 
be slighted, neglected, or despised. Was not this 
indicative that the time would come when strangers 
would be strangers no more ? So Paul says to the 
Gentiles : " Now therefore ye are no more strangers 
and foreigners, but .fellow-citizens with the saints 
and of the household of God ; and are built upon 
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 
Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." Eph. 
ii, 19, 20. 

Under this dispensation strangers are not to be 
slighted or neglected. They are to be recognized 
among us, invited to partake of our religious priv- 
ileges and blessings, and to partake of the com- 
mon salvation upon the same conditions with our- 
selves. The partition wall is now broken down — 
one sacrifice has provisionally reconciled all nations 
to God, without any observance of these merely 
legal ceremonies. What a blessed Gospel, which 
offers pardon, life, and peace and salvation to all ! 



142 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

Verses 24-31. — Sins of ignorance and presump- 
tion. This law was for the nation and the individ- 
ual. It was possible for both to sin in this way. 
The word shegagJiah is used to denote transgres- 
sions unwittingly committed, in contrast to sins 
committed presumptuously. This has special ref- 
erence to sins of omission. For actual sins pro- 
vison had already been made (Lev. iv, 2), but not 
for such sins. When there was an awakening on 
account of them, when they were laid upon the 
conscience, when in their consciousness they knew 
that they had done wrong, then atonement was to 
be made. We are too often forgetful of the fact 
that sins may thus be committed. We too seldom 
pray, for sins of omission and ignorance, that they 
may be forgiven. And yet how numerous they 
are ! Sometimes we regard them as mistakes, as 
inadvertencies, as forgetfulness, but they are yet 
offenses in the sight of God, and need the atoning 
blood of Christ. They needed blood under the law, 
and so they need blood now for their forgiveness 
and our purification. 

But for sins of presumption there was no such 
provision. The soul which thus sinned was to be 
cut off from among his people, " because he hath 
despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his 
commandment." Ver. 31. This was a terrible doom. 
It was in view of the offensiveness of these sins, 
and of the fearful punishment due the transgressor, 
that the Psalmist prayed, " Keep back thy servant 
also from presumptuous sins ; let them not have 



SINS OF IGNORANCE AND OF PRESUMPTION. 143 

dominion over me." Psa. xix, 13. But the case of 
such sinners is different under the gospel dispensa- 
tion. The soul now sinning presumptuously, if he 
will repent of his sins and believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ, may be forgiven, justified, and saved. 
But if he perseveres in such sins, and remains im- 
penitent, there is no forgiveness for him, neither in 
this world nor the world to come. It is written in 
the gospel: "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son 
cleanseth us from all sin" — sins of presumption as 
well as sins of ignorance. But even the blood of 
Christ cannot cleanse away presumptuous sins from 
an impenitent and unbelieving soul. 

Verses 32-37. — The Sanctity of the Sabbath. 
This at first sight would seem to indicate that the 
Mosiac law was vindictive and cruel. But fur- 
ther investigation will show that this view is not 
correct. There is nothing in God's law dearer to 
him than that which relates to his Sabbath. We 
must remember that he commanded us to keep this 
day holy. He had already commanded the Jewish 
people to kindle no fire on that day. So this man 
sinned presumptuously. It may be, as Ellicott 
says, that this incident which is here recorded is 
designed to illustrate the presumptuous sins which 
were to be punished with death. We cannot tell 
exactly the time when this sin was committed — 
whether in the wilderness of Sinai, or at Kadesh. 
Nor does this matter. The observance of the Sab- 
bath was recognized in the wilderness as well as in 
Canaan. It is the law of God for all the race ; for 



144 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

all ages, and for all men. The mode of punishment 
for this sin was not revealed until now. It was the 
ordinary method of stoning. Many in their deris- 
ion of this law have laughed at this case; but it is 
indicative of God's purpose against all such trans- 
gressors. No one can possibly violate this law and 
avoid punishment. No nation or people can do 
this with impunity. After this Israel suffered sev- 
enty long years of captivity for this sin, prominently 
among other causes. This should serve as a warn- 
ing to men now. It is truly lamentable to see 
how this law is now violated by railroad and steam- 
boat corporations, by many manufacturers and busi 
ness men, by pleasure-seekers, by saloon-keepers, 
and even by some professed Christians. Men are 
compelled to work on trains and boats, in factories 
and shops. Pleasure-seekers spend the whole day 
in rioting and mirth, and saloon-keepers have their 
places open day and night, dealing out death and 
damnation to the people in their horrid traffic. 
And, alas ! professing Christians in visiting, in feast- 
ing, in worldly amusements, in reading Sunday 
newspapers, and riding out for pleasure on the 
Lord's day. All these things are violations of the 
law of God. This law was not given to the Jew 
only, but given to us, and given to all men. No 
one can conceive how much the wrath of God is en- 
kindled against us for these things. And the time 
is not distant when, unless we repent, his judgments 
will be poured out upon us in a most fearful manner. 
Is it not so even now ? What mean the cyclones 



SINS OF IGNORANCE AND OF PRESUMPTION 145 

and tornadoes, these storms and floods, these rav- 
ages of fire and flood, this alarming prevalence of 
the pestilence? Has not God already begun to 
punish us? And what will the end be? 

Verses 37-41. — A preventive against sins of ig- 
norance and presumption. This was to be in the 
fringes and ribbons of their garments. These were 
to be remembrances to them of their duty, and 
warnings against their sins. It is said the word 
fringes is better rendered tassels on the corners of 
their garments, throughout their generations, and 
that they put upon the tassel of the corner a 
thread or cord of blue. The outward garment of 
the Jew was a four-cornered cloth. Tliere was a 
hole in the center through which his head was put, 
so that the one half covered the front and the other 
the back of the body.* They were not the phylac- 
teries mentioned by the Saviour. They were their 
own invention; but the fringes, or tassels, were a 
divine institution. As a Jew, Christ wore them. 
Hence we read of the woman with the issue of 
blood who desired to touch the border, or kraspe- 
dou, of the Saviour's garment. These tassels were 
not to be made use of for the adornment of their 
garments, to feed their vanity and pride, but 
to " stir .up their pure minds by way of remem- 
brance." 

They were a peculiar people, and their obliga- 
tions and responsibilities were peculiar. This 
they were never to forget. These fringes were to 
10 * Ellicott. 



146 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

be a constant reminder to them. It is well to have 
these reminders, to put them, if not on our gar- 
ments, upon our walls, over our beds, in our parlors 
and dining-rooms — to have them, as it were, written 
on the palms of our hands, and as frontlets before 
our eyes. We have what Israel had not : the word 
of God printed in our own tongue wherein we were 
born. This is in all our dwellings, and all its truths 
are within our easy and our constant reach. We may 
know them, and happy is he who remembers and 
keeps them. 

It is wonderful to notice what pains God has 
taken in all these arrangements that we might al- 
ways " remember and do all his commandments, 
and be holy unto our God." This is his great de- 
sign in all his dispensations : to make people holy. 
All his government tends to righteousness. Holi- 
ness is the great end of all. Any thing else is 
unworthy, undeserving of consideration. But this is 
man's highest motive ; this the loftiest goal to which 
he can aspire. Nothing is more pleasing to God — 
nothing is more for man's present and eternal well- 
being. O that at every moment we could see and 
feel this ! Then what lives we should live — what 
examples we should set, and what influence we 
should exert. O Lord our God, prosper thou this 
always and every-where ! Amen. 



KORAH AND HIS SIN. 



Chapter xvi, Verses 1-36.— This was a most 
alarming outbreak. It was not, as on so many 
former occasions, a rebellion of the " mixed multi- 
tude," but it was a rebellion of princes, largely rep- 
resenting the whole, or, at least, a good part, of the 
congregation. There were " two hundred and fifty 
princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, 
men of renown." 

This, perhaps, is the only event of any real inter- 
est occurring in their wanderings in the desert. Of 
this rebellion, Korah was the leader. And, what 
made it more trying to Moses, he was his own 
cousin-german ; they were brothers' children. Truly 
" a man's foes are often those of his own house- 
hold." It is impossible for us to tell exactly the 
time and place of its occurrence. Probably it was 
during one of the early years of their wanderings in 
the wilderness. Two causes are alleged for this re- 
bellion. The one is, that Korah aspired to a high 
place in the priesthood ; and the other, that Reuben 
aspired to be the head of the tribes of Israel, as the 
first-born, in place of Judah. It is a singular fact 
that the Kohathites and Reubenites encamped on 
the south side of the tabernacle. It was this, prob- 
ably, that made them alike in their rebellious ac- 

147 



148 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

tions, while a twofold purpose may have controlled 
them. Dathan and Abiram were chief men in the 
tribe of Reuben. Thus the two parties, Levitical 
and tribal, were conjoined. Ambition and jealousy 
were the two passions which impelled them ; and, 
acting under their power, the rebellion assumed a 
threatening aspect. So it has ever been in the his- 
tory of the Church and the world. The greatest 
of their difficulties, errors, skepticisms, rebellions, 
and false assumptions have come from their great 
men. Their position has not only magnified their 
crime, but, also, greatly augmented its force. It is 
the spirit of the evil one, who aspired to be equal 
with God's own Son, which occasions these troubles 
and produces these discontents in all the ages. 
First of all, they brood in the mind and heart ; then 
they are spoken of to others — men of the same 
spirit — and, finally, the flame breaks forth. So it 
broke forth now. 

The Outbreak. They acted unitedly. They were 
gathered together with one accord. And when 
thus gathered they strike against Moses and Aaron. 
They accuse them of unlawful and unauthorized 
domination. " Ye take too much upon you, seeing 
all the congregation are holy, every one of them, 
and the Lord is among them." They virtually ask 
them to resign their high positions to which God 
had appointed them. The claim is, that Moses 
and Aaron are no better than multitudes in the 
congregation, and that their exaltation was of them- 
selves, and not of the Lord. How strangely 



^ 



A' OR AH AND HIS SIN. ' 149 

blinded men often are! Did they not know tnat 
God had called and appointed them ? Did they 
not know that their leadership, in the priesthood 
and in the government, was of a divine authority 
and under divine direction ? If they did know it, 
it had no weight whatever with them. Ambition 
flaunted her banner before their eyes, and they will- 
ingly followed her, even with a lie in their mouth. 

But unfounded and unjust as their charges were, 
Moses was evidently dismayed at the magnitude of 
the affair, "and fell down upon his face." He did 
not act or speak hastily. He sought counsel from 
God by prayer, while at the same time he showed 
them how willingly he would resign his position 
if this were the divine will. After this he was 
prepared with his answer, which, doubtless, God 
had given to him. " To-morrow the Lord will 
show who are his, and who is holy ; and will cause 
him to come near unto him : even him whom he 
hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him." 
The whole matter is referred back to God, with 
entire confidence that he will do what is right, and 
that he only could decide it ; and the answer was 
to be given to them speedily. In all such difficul- 
ties, it . is wise to gain time. This gives an op- 
portunity for reflection, for counsel, and, also, for 
deceived and half-hearted persons to escape the 
consequences which shall fall upon the guilty par- 
ties. For instance, in the recent war of the re- 
bellion in our own country, if the masses of the 
Southern people could have had time to deliberate 



150 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

they would never have entered into it. But their 
wily leaders rushed many innocent persons, without 
mature thought, into this dreadful struggle. But 
in the instance before us there was a little time for 
reflection. This gave time for some of the sons of 
Korah to escape the threatened judgment, as it is 
evident that they were spared {vide chap, xxvi, 1 1 ; 
I Chron. vi, 22-38), and also the titles of a number 
of Psalms. 

The Preparation for the Trial. Moses gives di- 
rection to them as to what they should do. They 
were to take their censers, which, most likely, they 
had made for themselves, they were to put fire 
therein, and put incense in them before the Lord. 
You will mark, this was the peculiar prerogatives 
and the holiest function of the priesthood. No one 
else was allowed to do this, by divine authority, 
but the priests. And their putting incense in their 
censers was simply allowed them for a test, or for 
the purpose of making a test case. How withering 
the closing words of Moses's address to them are ! 
" Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi." 
They had assumed prerogatives which did not be- 
long to them, and now they were to answer for 
their folly and their ambition. God would show 
them who was holy, and who was not, in his sight. 
What a warning; to all such men in all times to 



come 



The Trial audits Events. It is now the time and 
the turn of Moses to speak. "And Moses said unto 
Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: seemeth 



KORAH AND HIS SIN. 151 

it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel 
hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, 
to bring you near to himself to do the service of 
the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the 
congregation to minister unto them?" Vers. 8, 9. 
They had really forgotten how God had already 
exalted them in separating them from the congre- 
gation of Israel to bring them near to him, and 
minister before him. This was the talk of Moses 
to Korah. And now he sends for Dathan and 
Abiram, but they in their pride and rebellion refuse 
to come, adding most insulting words, and intimat- 
ing that Moses and Aaron were largely responsible 
for their protracted sojourn in the wilderness. 
They virtually charge Moses with an attempt to 
"put out the eyes of the people," and say, "We 
will not come up." This kindled the wrath of 
Moses, and he answered to the Lord, " I have not 
taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one 
of them." Ver. 15. All these charges of wrong- 
doing, of evil designs upon their liberties and their 
lives, and of deceiving them were not made against 
him, but against God who had especially appointed 
him to his high and perplexing position. He was 
thus fully able to answer all their charges of unjust 
domination, and to say, " One poor ass I have not 
taken from them, neither have I hurt one of them." 
Financially, he would have been better off as a 
herdsman than he was as king in Jeshurun. 

But the insurrection was evidently deeply 
planned and wide-spread. The people were largely 



152 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

with them, and Moses had just cause for alarm. 
Heroic treatment was necessary, and he knew God 
was with him, and he would quickly and effect- 
ually settle this business. The crisis was now 
reached, and the end was rapidly approaching. 
Korah and his company were summoned to appear 
before the Lord on the morrow, with the censers 
which they had used, even two hundred and fifty 
of them, and to put incense in them. Moses and 
Aaron were also commanded to take each his cen- 
ser. What a wonder that Korah did not under- 
stand that the Lord was not with him ! But so it 
is. Sin, ambition, pride, blind the mind and heart, 
and harden them against the clearest light and the 
clearest evidence. No boldness, no impudence, is 
too great for such persons. So, on they came, 
every man with his censer. Ellicott supposes they 
may have been household vessels, resembling cen- 
sers; or vessels used by the heads of houses, as 
priests, before the order of priesthood was re- 
stricted to the family of Aaron ; or that they may 
have been made by Korah and his company for 
their own use. It is to be observed here that 
Korah had gathered all the congregation against 
Moses and Aaron to the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation. How little he thought, amid his 
expectations of carrying out his plans, that God had 
permitted them to be gathered together there for 
the purpose of witnessing his own discomfiture and 
destruction when the vengeance of the Lord was 
poured forth! But so it was. They came to see 



KORAH AND HIS SIN 153 

his triumph, but they saw instead his debasement. 
The cry went forth from the mouth of the Lord, 
through Moses to the congregation, " Get you up 
from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and 
Abiram ; " and, again, " Depart, I pray you, from 
the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing 
of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins." 
Some have thought that the tabernacle spoken 
of in the twenty-fourth and twenty-seventh verses 
refers to a rival tabernacle erected by Korah. But 
my own impression is that it refers simply and 
specifically to their dwelling-place, as the word 
" tents " in the twenty-sixth verse. Here is the 
test. Moses said, " If these men die the common 
death of all men, or if they be visited after the visi- 
tation of all men ; then the Lord hath not sent me. 
But if the Lord make a new thing [create a new 
creature], and the earth open her mouth, and 
swallow them up, with all that appertain unto 
them, and they go down quick into the pit ; then 
ye shall understand that these men have provoked 
the Lord." This was a clear test. There could be 
no deception, nor misunderstanding of it. And so 
in an instant, quick as the lightning flash, without 
any further warning, " the ground clave asunder, . . . 
the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them 
up, and their houses, and all the men that apper- 
tained unto Korah, and all their goods." It was a 
terrific visitation ; it has filled the world with awe 
and wonder ever since its occurrence. But this was 
the punishment of Dathan and Abiram ; it is evi- 



154 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

dent that another punishment was allotted to 
Korah. There can be little doubt that Korah and 
his company of two hundred and fifty men with 
him, from among the Levites, first perished by fire. 
This seems evident from verse 26, " Lest ye be 
consumed in all their sins ; " and in verse 21, " That 
I may consume them in a moment." But in the 
midst of wrath there was mercy. Koran's children, 
it is said in chap, xxvi, 11, did not die with him. 
When God's judgments are poured forth they 
strike the great offenders first, then those who are 
with them. But the innocent are spared. So Mo- 
ses called to the people to " depart from the tents 
of these wicked men, lest ye be consumed in all their 
sins." In this manner the Lord's mercy still lingered 
around them, although some had sympathized with 
them in their ignorance, and were partially guilty. 
And so his mercy is ever manifested in the midst of 
his greatest judgments. Christ is ever stretching 
out his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying peo- 
ple ; and his ministers cry aloud and spare not to 
induce sinners to escape from the consequences of 
their sins. We read that even in the ultimate de- 
struction of the mystical Babylon, the cry will be 
made, " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
plagues." Rev. xviii, 4. And in this manner, on 
this occasion, the people who obeyed God escaped 
this terrible visitation. So Koran's children lived, 
although their father was consumed. 

If men would only understand that God's judg- 



KORAH AND HIS SIN. 155 

merits will come upon the ungodly, and that they 
must depart from their ways if they would escape, 
it might be yet well with them. If we are par- 
takers of the sins of other men, in all dispensations 
and in all ages, we shall be partakers of their pun- 
ishment. When God wills to punish he has always 
the instruments at hand with which to accomplish 
his purpose — not only stormy wind, but fire and 
earthquake, fulfill his command. He can inflict a 
thousand forms of punishment. All the elements 
of nature are at his command, and will obey his will 
in punishing the offender. The whole universe is 
in league with God against his enemies. God may 
make use of many or all its agencies in the accom- 
plishment of his final purposes. It would seem to 
my own mind that this whole transaction is emi- 
nently suggestive of the end of Rome. The Lord 
will make a new instrument for its destruction. It 
will be " by the breath of his mouth, and by the 
brightness of his coming." Her plagues come in 
one day, " death, and mourning, and famine, and 
she shall be utterly burned with fire : for strong is 
the Lord God who judged her." Rev. xviii, 8. Just 
as the fire quickly consumed Korah and his com- 
pany, and as the earth swallowed up Dathan and 
Abiram, and their families, so will God destroy his 
enemies, and all who have persecuted his people. 
The damnation will not linger. 

Was it not so with the great Spanish Armada, 
which threatened the Protestantism of England 
and of the world ? How quickly and surely was 



156 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

it destroyed ! And when God arose to destroy 
slavery in our land, did he not make short work of 
it ? This evil, which the wisest and most conserva- 
tive men thought it would take centuries to get rid 
of, was trampled into the dust in a few short years. 
But with what an expenditure of blood and tears! 
So will it be with intemperance and every other 
form of evil. " A short work will the Lord make 
of it in the earth." And now, while the fire is yet 
burning, the Lord commands Moses to take up the 
censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire 
yonder ; for they are hallowed. These were to be 
made into broad plates for a covering of the altar ; 
'• and they shall be for a sign unto the children of 
Israel." Here was a constant and permanent warn- 
ing to them against a similar profanation of holy 
things, and against making any further insurrection 
against the Lord. This was a perpetual monument 
all through the ages for the instruction of his people 
against the dastardly conduct of Korah, Dathan and 
Abiram. 

Verses 41-50. — A New Rebellion. Scarcely are 
these wicked men punished before there is another 
outbreak against Moses and Aaron. Only on the 
morroiu afterward it broke out again. The cry is, 
" Ye have killed the people of the Lord " — just as 
if Moses and Aaron had sent the fire, and rent the 
earth, and made it open its jaws and swallow up 
Dathan and Abiram. Again, it was not really 
against Moses and Aaron that they rebelled ; this 
new rebellion was also against God. Yet, again, 



KORAH AND HIS SIN 157 

his judgments are speedily called forth. In an in- 
stant his glory appears, and its cloud covers the 
tabernacle. what a scene was this, when he 
spoke to Moses and said, " Get you up from among 
this congregation, that I may consume them as in a 
moment ! " The danger was imminent, the remedy 
must at once be employed, or all Israel will be de- 
stroyed. So Moses ordered Aaron to take a censer 
and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on 
incense, and go out quickly unto the congregation 
and make an atonement for them ; for there is 
wrath gone out from the Lord — the plague is begun. 
So Aaron " stood between the dead and the living; 
and the plague was stayed." How quickly the 
judgment came, and how quickly came the relief! 
Here Aaron represents our great High-priest. In- 
cense is an emblem of prayer. And Christ, as our 
High-priest, offers up on his golden censer the in- 
cense, with the prayers of all the saints, upon the 
golden altar before the throne. It is the smoke of 
that incense, mingled with these prayers, which 
ascends upward before God, out of his hands. Rev. 
viii, 3, 4. As Aaron stood between the dead and 
the living, so Christ stands constantly between us, 
pleading for us, lest the plague of divine vengeance 
should overthrow the whole race. He " hath given 
himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for 
a sweetsmelling savor." Eph. v, 2. 

It is very probable that the fourteen thousand 
who were smitten by the plague were all who were 
actively engaged in the insurrection ; and thus this 



158 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

whole rebellious element was eliminated from the 
congregation by fire and earthquake and plague. 
And how quickly it was done ! In a very few short 
days the whole thing was squelched, and nothing 
of this kind has ever occurred since. It was God's 
great vindication of his own ordained servants, 
whom he had called — the one to rule over Israel and 
the other to be its high-priest. In like manner he 
has always vindicated his own true ministers who 
have faithfully served him and proclaimed his truth. 
God never goes back on his servants. His prom- 
ise is, " Lo, I am with you alway." This matter of 
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram has filled the world 
with its fame, and it will do so in all the ages to 
come. No grander display of God's determination 
to interfere for his ministers has ever been made ; 
no other will ever be needed. Even Jude, near the 
close of the New Testament canon, speaks of those 
who have " perished in the gainsaying of Korah." 



THE ROD THAT BUDDED. 



Chapter xvii, Verses 1-12. — The insurrection is 
not yet ended. Further demonstration is neces- 
sary for the establishment of the supremacy of the 
Aaronic priesthood, and the sovereignty of Moses. 
The plan adopted was, that a rod should be taken 
from each of the princes of the twelve tribes, and 
every man's name placed upon the rod. Upon the 
rod of the tribe of Levi the name of Aaron was to 
be written. These rods, so labeled, were to be laid 
up in the tabernacle of the congregation in view of 
the following test : — The rod which should bud and 
bloom was to indicate the one to whom God had 
intrusted the holy office of the priesthood. We 
may remember that Ezekiel was ordered to make a 
similar test — vide Ezek. xxxvii, 15, 16. This was, 
indeed, an ordinary custom among the Egyptians, 
and was now employed in Israel to vindicate God's 
choice. " Achilles, when engaged against Aga- 
memnon, is made to swear a solemn oath by his 
scepter, which having once left its stock in the 
mountains shall never again grow. King Latinus 
is also represented by Virgil as confirming his cov- 
enant with Eneas by a similar oath." * But here 
were dry, seasoned rods, or sticks, with no sap, no 
* Ellicott. 159 



160 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

vitality in them. Humanly speaking, there was no 
possibility that these rods would ever bud or bloom. 
If they did so, or even one of them did so, it must 
be by the almighty power of God, so that in this 
way his own will can be clearly shown. But only 
twenty-four hours passed by, and lo ! Aaron's rod 
had budded, blossomed, and borne almonds. Every 
other rod is handed back to its owner without bud, 
or blossom, or fruit, but dry, sapless, and worthless. 
Aaron's rod had gained the distinction which God 
had given to it. Here is a rich gospel truth im- 
bedded, and it shines forth like a diamond from the 
dust. Our Lord Jesus Christ has given to the uni- 
verse the grandest proof that he is the High-priest 
over the house of God. Is he not a " rod out of 
the stem of Jesse, and a Branch out of his roots?" 
Is he not as a root out of the dry ground, without 
form, or comeliness? And yet, was he not crowned 
with glory and honor? Do not the buds and blos- 
soms burst forth from him with abundant fruitful- 
ness? Is he not made, constituted, ordained, a 
" High-priest forever after the order of Melchize- 
dek ? " Surely all these things are clearly indicated 
here. And not only so. We are to consider that it 
was the dry rod which budded and blossomed. Is 
it not so with the Church — in itself a dry rod — but 
made fruitful by the Holy Spirit? " Not by might, 
nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of 
hosts." Thus it was that the Lord made the mur- 
murings of Israel to cease upon this question. Ver 5. 
When Moses placed Aaron's rod in the tabernacle 



THE ROD THAT BUDDED. 161 

it was a perpetual reminder to the children of Israel 
that God had set his seal upon the priesthood of 
Aaron. And so, when they looked upon the brazen 
plates upon the altar, or regarded Aaron's rod that 
budded, they were forcibly reminded of the folly 
of rebellion against the sovereignty of Moses, 
and the incontestable and infallible sign of the 
priesthood of Aaron. There can be no doubt that 
this rod of Aaron was subsequently lost, when 
there was no further need of it as an evidence of 
the divine origin of his priesthood. Some have 
thought it was lost when the ark was captured 
by the Philistines. It was not, evidently, in the ark 
when it was brought into Solomon's temple. The 
language of the apostle in his letter to the Hebrews 
does not conflict with this. This refers to the tab- 
ernacle rather than to the temple. And yet the 
Jews have a tradition that, when King Josiah or- 
dered the ark to be put in the house which King 
Solomon built, the rod of Aaron and the pot of 
manna and the anointing oil were hidden with the 
ark, and that at that time the rod had buds and 
blossoms. 

Once more there is an outcry from the people : 
" We die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever com- 
eth any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord 
shall die : shall we be consumed with dying ? " This 
was no doubt the language of an anxious apprehen- 
sion, and yet it is the language of repining. It is as 
much as to say, " God is a hard master; his service 

is a hard service ; we cannot serve him without his 
11 



162 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

killing us." But the fault was their own. They 
had rebelled against the Lord's ordinance, and they 
had suffered the result. If they had been obedient 
to God, all would have gone well with them ; but 
as they were not, destruction had come upon 
them. 



THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST TYPIFIED. 



Chapter xviii, Verses 1-32. — The great question 
of the ordination of the priesthood and of the per- 
sons who were to perform its duties having been 
settled, there now is revealed by the Lord his pur- 
pose concerning the persons who were to fill this 
office. If Aaron and his sons are to fill this office, 
then they are to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary 
and the burden of the priesthood. In these things 
the congregation were not to share, and for them 
they were not ■ responsible. This word iniquity 
comprehended several things: (1.) The defilement 
of the sanctuary by the transgression of priests and 
people. (2.) In them Aaron was to offer the bullock 
of the sin-offering. (3.) For its defilements by the 
imperfections of the priests connected with their 
services and the offerings of the people. Thus 
Aaron and his successors were to wear the plate of 
fine gold inscribed with " holiness to the Lord," 
that he " may bear the iniquity of the things which 
the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy 
gifts ; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that 
they may be accepted before the Lord." 

What a striking type of the Lord Jesus Christ ! 

He is the High-priest of our profession. He has 

not only made reconciliation for iniquity, but he 

163 



164 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

has also atoned for the weaknesses, frailties, and 
imperfections of his people, which are often exhib- 
ited even in their best services. How often we over- 
look the fact that, even in our rapt devotion, in our 
moments of closest communionship with God, evil 
thoughts are often suggested, drowsiness and sleep 
sometimes overtake us ; and there are imperfections 
in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. What 
are we to do with these things ? We cannot atone 
for them, nor provide against them. No, they all 
show to us our need of a great High-priest, and of 
his intercessions before the throne of the heavenly 
grace. Many disciples since Peter, James, and John 
have not been able to watch with their Lord for 
one hour. Slumber has stolen over them, and they 
have lain lifeless almost, and at least stupid and 
useless before him, with their prayer unuttered, 
and their heart's desire unexpressed. These, and a 
thousand other things, are borne by our High-priest 
for his people. He does all this in addition to his 
atoning work for our transgression and our sins. 

Verses 8-19. — After repeating to them the duties 
and obligations devolving upon Aaron and his sons, 
in which they were to be aided by the Levites, God 
reveals to them his plan for their support. All the 
heave-offerings, oblations, meat-offerings, sin-offer- 
ings, trespass-offerings, were set apart for them, so 
that all their sons and daughters were to eat of 
them. So all the best of the oil and wine and 
wheat and first-fruits were set apart for them by 
this divine ordinance. In addition to this, every 



THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST TYPIFIED. 165 

thing devoted in Israel was theirs ; every thing born 
in Israel, whether of man or beast, only the first- 
born being redeemed. All these things were given 
them by a covenant of salt — an indissoluble cove- 
nant, still the sign of a covenant in Eastern coun- 
tries — forever before the Lord unto them and their 
seed after them. But above all, infinitely above 
all, God himself was to be their inheritance. They 
were not to have, nor to seek, an inheritance in the 
land when they should come over the Jordan. God 
says to them, '7 am thy part and thine inheritance 
among the children of Israel." No clearer illustra- 
tion of the relation of Christ's ministers to him 
could have been given. True, no formal provision 
is made by him for his ministers; but the same 
principles herein recorded are eternal. God requires 
his people to take ample care of their ministers ; 
and with this his servants are to be satisfied. We 
have known ministers who have refused to be satis- 
fied with this, and who have entered into business 
relations, speculations, farming, mining, lecturing, 
etc., to eke out, as they have said, their scanty sup- 
port. But having watched some of these cases for 
years with great carefulness we have observed that 
all these things have failed. And not only so, they 
have not had the sympathy, the co-operation, the 
support from the churches which they have served, 
which they might have had had they accepted 
God's offer and trusted in God's provision and 
promise. The consequences have usually been in- 
efficiency, much fault-finding among their people, 



166 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

slowness of meeting their obligations, and prema- 
ture decline and decay. But we have never known 
a case where a man has swung out upon God's 
promise alone, taking him for his portion and inher- 
itance, where such a one has lacked either support 
or success. God's hand is fully open to his serv- 
ants who serve him and take him for their inherit- 
ance ; and he never fails them. Early in my own 
ministry I was tempted to disbelieve God's provis- 
ion and promise, and I longed to go- out into the 
business of the world. But after a long and severe 
chastisement, for which I am now thankful, my 
eyes were opened ; and never since that time have 
I failed to take God for my portion and my inherit- 
ance. Nor have I failed of support. If it has not 
come from one source, it has come from another; 
but it has come. Well does a recent writer say, 
" What poor, forlorn, forsaken feelings must have 
crept over the Levites ! They owned no corner- 
lots ; they were forbidden to do so." " Therefore 
shall they have no inheritance among their breth- 
ren : the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said 
unto them." Deut. xviii, 2. Poor fellows ! No in- 
heritance but God and his word ! Only think of it ! 
No chance to invest their hard earnings and 
scrimped-up savings! What ever shall they do? 
Nothing and no one to depend upon but God, and 
the kindness and fidelity of his people ! O minister 
of the living God, is this the thought of thine heart — 
that thou art deprived of the chances of saving and 
making and investing money, such as are enjoyed 



THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST TYPIFIED. 167 

by the laity? " The Lord is thine inheritance." 
Let all ministers, then, remember this. God is re- 
sponsible for our support ; God will take care of 
his servants ; God will provide for them. Let us 
never doubt this. He may not give us all we want. 
He may permit us to be sorely tried ; but he will 
never leave us nor forsake us. He has yet his ra- 
vens. He has the gold and the silver of the world 
at his command, and the cattle upon a thousand 
hills ; and he will never suffer his faithful servants 
to want the necessaries of life. 



THE LAYER OF REGENERATION. 



Chapter xix, Verses i-io. — There is, perhaps, 
more Gospel in this chapter than is found in any 
other part of this book. The whole scene before 
us is full of the Gospel. The red heifer, with no 
blemish, and whose neck was unburdened with a 
yoke, her sprinkled blood, her complete incinera- 
tion, and the ceremonially purifying power of the 
sprinkling of the water all indicate the great facts 
of redemption. Let us look wonderingly at these 
things. And first at the red heifer. She was 
to be all red, from hoof to horn. The Jews say, 
" If but two hairs were black or white it was unlaw- 
ful." This is generally supposed to refer to Christ's 
body. The word Adam signifies red earth. So in 
Isaiah's vision, he who came from Bozrah was " red 
in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his 
strength." Some think this color is emblematical 
of life ; others of sin ; but doubtless the reference 
is to Christ's body. This red heifer was separated 
from the herd. So was Christ, who was "without 
spot or blemish," " holy, harmless, undefiled, and sep- 
arate from sinners." She was never to have borne 
any yoke. So he was without sin ; none of its bond- 
age had ever been endured by him ; all his bonds 

were those of his own love. So he said of himself, 
168 



THE LA VER OF REGENERA TION. 169 

" The prince of this world cometh, and hath noth- 
ing in me." The heifer was to be conducted with- 
out the camp. And what does the apostle say? 
" Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the 
people with his own blood, suffered without the 
gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without 
the camp, bearing his reproach." The offering was 
to be made and the blood sprinkled directly before 
the door of the tabernacle. " This heifer was 
usually slain upon Mt. Olivet, eastward from the 
temple, across the valley of the Kedron. Here the 
priest was able, through the open eastern gate of 
the temple-court, to behold the sanctuary in the 
duties of which he was to sprinkle the heifer's 
blood. Thus the sinless antitype had to bear the 
reproach of associating with sinners. And as the 
heifer was expelled from the precincts of the camp, 
so was the Saviour cut off in no small means during 
his life from the fellowship of chief representatives 
of theocracy, and, finally, put to death between two 
thieves." * Then the body was to be wholly burned. 
And so Christ offered up himself as a whole burnt- 
offering for us amid the agonies of his cross. What 
does this indicate to us but that Christ suffered and 
died for us? And those fires which burned so 
fiercely tell us how the wrath of God, under which 
his soul was consumed and his heart was broken 
asunder, was poured forth upon him. The ashes 
of the heifer were to be gathered up bya'clean per- 
son and preserved for the use of the congregation. 

* Bible Commentary. 



170 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

The ashes of the heifer were supposed to be good 
for many years ; some say for centuries. Indeed, 
some say that the ashes of this heifer, here ordered 
to be sacrificed, lasted until near the captivity — or 
nearly a thousand years ; while others say that dur- 
ing the five hundred years between the time of 
Ezra and the destruction of the second temple, eight 
were slain. However this may be, we know from 
this chapter that the ashes were laid up for purify- 
ing purposes ; not only for ceremonial uncleanness, 
but also for actual sin. Vers. 9-17. This provision 
was not only for all the children of Israel, but also 
for the stranger that sojourned among them ; none 
were excluded from its benefits. So Christ's death 
was for all ; not only for the Jews, but for all man- 
kind. All employed in the slaughter and burning 
of the heifer were rendered unclean by so doing. 
And were not all rendered guilty who put to death 
the Son of God ? His betrayer, his judges, his per- 
secutors, his executioners — all were guilty. What 
they did was with wicked hands. And yet they 
might, and perhaps some of them did, find mer- 
cy who did these things. The Jews say, " It is 
a mystery which even Solomon could not under- 
stand, that this sacrifice should pollute those which 
were clean, and purify those who were not clean." 
But with us there is no mystery. Those who put 
the Lord Jesus to death were made guilty by so 
doing ; and yet those who in this way became 
guilty could be purified by his death. How many 
beautiful points of gospel truth are here ! Here 



THE LA VER OF RE GENERA TION. Ill 

is what Paul wrote to Titus, and probably with 
reference to this ceremony : " Not by works of 
righteousness which we have done, but according 
to his mercy he saved us by the washing [the 
laver] of regeneration, and the renewing of the 
Holy Ghost." 

Verses 12-16. — This water of purifying was first 
for those who had touched a dead body. He that 
touched the dead body of a beast was only ''unclean 
until the evening ; " while he that touched that of 
a man was " unclean seven days." This is a mys- 
tery which we can only explain by saying that the 
death of man was, and is, the wages of sin. Death 
is one thing to a beast, and another to a man. It 
is marvelous how defiling the touch of a dead man's 
body, or of a grave, is still regarded, not only by 
Jews, but also among other nations. The custom 
of shunning graves is traceable in various forms 
among many nations of antiquity; perhaps espe- 
cially so among the Egyptians. The priests were 
obliged to shun graves, funerals, and funeral feasts. 
The Persian Zendavesta had rules of remarkable 
strictness, particularly on this subject, and these 
were exceeded by the rules prevailing among the 
Indians, both ancient and modern. Like rules 
are found among the Romans. " The tapas, or 
uncleanness, regarded among the Maories of New 
Zealand as attaching to the man who has handled 
the dead is such that he can not only not enter 
a house or come in contact with any person or 
thing without defiling it, but he may not even 



172 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

put forth his own hands to the food which he him- 
self eats." * 

Look then at how the ashes were to be applied. 
As the water in which the ashes were placed was to 
purify the unclean, so " the blood of Christ his Son 
cleanseth us from all sin." Paul wrote to the Cor- 
inthians : " Ye are washed, . . . sanctified, . ... justified 
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit 
of our God." The water in which the ashes were 
thrown was to be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop. 
And in view of this David prays : " Purge me with 
hyssop and I shall be clean ; wash me and I shall 
be whiter than snow." " As to the manner of using 
it, the stalk, or bunch of hyssop, was wrapt round 
with scarlet wool to make it absorb the blood, 
being tied with the same wool to a staff, if of cedar- 
wood, to keep it stiff. The most approved explana- 
tion of the hyssop is that it is a plant growing on 
stone walls, hyssopus officinalis, with small lancet- 
formed woolly leaves about an inch long, a knotty 
stalk from one foot to one and a half high, with 
blue (sometimes white) flowers." f Christ's blood 
is said to be " sprinkled upon us." It is called, 
" The blood of sprinkling." And is not faith the 
hyssop-branch ? Do we not by faith appropriate 
and apply this blood ? Is it not by faith in it that 
we are cleansed ? 

Here, then, we see clearly God's great plan. I 
do not mean to say that all, or any considerable 
number of them, saw this clearly. Surely none of 

* Bible Commentary. f Alford, Heb. ix, 19. 



THE LA VER OF REGENERA TION. 173 

them saw it as clearly as we do ; but some of them 
saw it sufficiently for their salvation. But to our 
eyes each step seems clear. The whole way and 
plan of salvation are made known to us. Surely no 
one can have the blood of Christ sprinkled upon 
him in vain. Its power has never failed. It never 
can fail, it never will. 

"Jesus, thy blood, thy blood alone, 
Hath power sufficient to atone ; 
Thy blood can make me white as snow ; 
No Jewish types could cleanse me so." 



DEATH OF MIRIAM AND AARON. 



Chapter xx, Verse I. — After thirty-eight years of 

wandering they are now again at Kadesh. Many 

scenes have been passed through — many dangers 

since they were driven back by divine justice from 

the very borders of the promised land. Not only so. 

The large proportion of those who had come out of 

Egypt had died, and their bones were bleaching in 

the wilderness. But up to this period Moses and 

Aaron and Miriam had survived. Now, however, 

the time had come for Miriam to depart. She, too, 

had been rebellious, even against the Lord and the 

authority of her own brother. Therefore she could 

not see the holy land. It was in Kadesh that the 

summons came to her, and she departed from the 

world, a wonderful woman, with this awful stigma 

associated always with her name. She was the 

sister, the only sister, of Moses and Aaron, so far 

as we know. She was, probably, older than her 

brothers. She must have been so, if, as tradition 

informs us, she was the one who spoke for Moses 

When found as a babe in his ark in the waters, and 

directing Pharaoh's daughter, " Thermutes," to his 

own mother as a nurse. In Kadesh also she was 

buried. Eusebius says in his day Miriam's sepul- 

cher was still known, apparentlv either at Petra or 
174 



DEATH OF MIRIAM AND AARON. 175 

not far from it, She had been a prominent character 
in Israel. Her timbrel and her song had frequently 
rung out among them, giving to them inspiration, 
hopefulness, and joy. But, alas ! even she had 
been a murmurer, and she was prevented from 
entering into the land of promise. How often 
good men and good women, with generally amiable 
characters, and with elements of great success 
in them, stumble, murmur, and complain against 
the Lord and his servants without any cause, and 
thus excite the divine displeasure against them- 
selves. Well may we quote the language of the 
apostle, " Let him that thinketh he standeth take 
heed lest he fall." 

Verses 2-13. — The children of Israel are in Ka- 
desh, but the water has failed, and its reproduction 
is a necessity. The people have again proved 
their heredity by breaking out into the old mur- 
murs against Moses which had been heard far back 
at Rephidim. Again they wish they had died 
when their brethren died before the Lord. Again 
they urge against him that he had brought up the 
children of Israel and their cattle to die in the wil- 
derness. And again they chide with him for bring- 
ing them into this evil place. Perhaps the supply 
from the rock had suddenly failed, or a supply had 
been found in some parts of the district and a scarc- 
ity in others. For some cause, however, the water 
had ceased its flow, and as that fell away the mur- 
murings increased. No wonder that their leaders 
were nervous and dispirited. No wonder that they 



176 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

had nothing to say. But, in their distress and 
trouble, they " went from the presence of the assem- 
bly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, and they fell upon their faces." Then it was, 
as always in the past, that " the glory of the Lord 
appeared unto them." Again the Lord gives them 
directions as to the course to be pursued in order 
to secure a supply of water. Moses was commanded 
to take his wonder-working rod and speak to the 
rock in presence of the people, with the assurance 
that once more the waters would flow. This was 
not Aaron's rod which had budded and blossomed 
and brought forth fruit ; but his own old rod which 
he had in the desert when God appeared to him in 
the bush ; which had been pointed heavenward and 
had swept over the doomed land of Egypt ; which 
he had waved over the dark billows of the Red Sea; 
and which had brought water out of the rock at Ho- 
reb. That rod was indeed a type of the Gospel, an 
emblem of its might and power. The assembly was 
then convened before the rock, that they might see 
the work which the Lord would do. But Moses 
and Aaron were not commanded to smite the rock, 
but only to speak to it. This was all that was nec- 
essary, and the promise of supply for themselves 
and their cattle was given. But Moses and Aaron 
were discouraged and petulant ; Moses lost his 
meekness, and both he and his brother relapsed 
into unbelief. It was in this spirit that they ap- 
proached the rock. Then they forgot the com- 
mand of the Lord ; then they forgot their intimate 



DEA TH OF MIRIAM AND AARON. 177 

and close relation with Israel, and coming to the 
rock they said: " Hear now, ye rebels; must we 
fetch you water out of this rock? " And then, for- 
getful of the divine command, he "lifted up his 
hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice." 

" The rock referred to so graphically here, which 
was struck by Moses, is isolated. It is twenty feet 
wide by twelve feet high. A deep cut runs down 
its side [the work of Moses's rod] whence flowed 
the waters of Meribah and Massah." * Here were 
both doubt and unbelief. Moses might have said 
in his heart, " I have my rod, what should I do but 
smite the rock? " His anger was shown in smiting 
it twice. The water came as promised ; came 
abundantly; but their words and actions had dis- 
pleased the Lord. Israel had witnessed their impa- 
tience and their disobedience, and had heard their 
angry words. What now remains? Because of 
like unbelief their brethren had been forbidden the 
privilege of entering the land of Canaan ; so now 
they must not enter into that land. They had not 
sanctified God in the sight of Israel, so they could 
not bring the congregation into it. There can be 
no doubt that all this had been foreseen and pro- 
vided for. It was a part of God's plan that Moses, 
the representative of the law, could not bring his 
people into the land of promise. " The law makes 
nothing perfect ; but it was the bringing in of a bet- 
ter hope." So Moses could not bring the people 
in ; that was left for Joshua, Christ's type as a Sav- 

* Mr. Wilson, in July Century, 188S. 
12 



178 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

iour. The law saves no man ; it sanctifies no man ; 
it is only Christ who can bring us in. But he, our 
Joshua, can bring us in. He is the spiritual, the 
heavenly, the divine Joshua, the mighty Conqueror, 
who brings his people across the Jordan, and places 

"Ina land of corn and wine and oil." 

It has been shown that the waters from the rock 
in Horeb typified the sanctifying and comforting 
influences of the Holy Spirit, communicated to us 
through the atonement of Christ, when he was smit- 
ten for our sins. The smiting of the rock needed not 
to be repeated ; for though it was not the same rock, 
it was the outward sign of the same spiritual benefit. 
It was, therefore, only requisite to speak to it. And 
thus Christ, having once been smitten and wounded 
for our transgressions, needs not to be smitten any 
more ; but only to be spoken to in the prayer of 
faith accompanying the preaching of the Gospel, 
and the waters will flow forth. 

Verses 22-29. — The Death of Aaron. Aaron is 
now summoned to Mt. Hor, there to lay aside his 
sacerdotal vestments, and then to die. " Mt. Hor 
is the modern Jebel Harun, and is situated on the 
eastern side of the Arabah and close to Petra. It 
rises as a dark red rock five thousand feet above 
the Mediterranean. It is remarkable for its two 
summits, on one of which is still shown a small 
square building, crowned with a dome, which is 
called the tomb of Aaron."* The whole narrative 

* Bible Commentary. 



DBA TH OF MIR I A M A ND MO SE S. 1 79 

is deeply interesting. How readily and calmly 
Aaron complied with the command. Moses had 
earnestly longed to go over into the land of prom- 
ise ; but we never read of any expression of desire 
on the part of Aaron. So now he begins the vast 
ascent, although an old man. Still, with his brother, 
who is so soon to follow him, he climbs the steep. 
Death has no terrors for him. He had seen Miriam 
die ; now he is ready to go. When death begins 
his work in a family which has long been shielded 
from his power he usually goes right forward with 
his work. It would be only a little time now be- 
fore Moses would depart, and thus the three great 
representatives of Israel will have passed away to 
their fathers. Aaron is stripped of his vestments, 
indicating that his priesthood would ultimately be 
disannulled, and that one after the order of Mel- 
chizedek should arise. Dean Stanley, in one of his 
lectures, says that " the succession of the priest- 
hood was made through that singular usage, and 
preserved even unto the latest days of the Jewish 
hierarchy, by the transference of the vesture and 
drapery of the dead high-priest to his living suc- 
cessor." Aaron was now about one hundred and 
twenty-three years old ; and still, like Moses, his 
natural power, or force, does not seem to have 
been abated. He was removed in the fullness of 
his age, ere decrepitude had unfitted him for his 
sacred office. How solemn was the scene ! Only 
Moses and Eleazar are present. There seems to 
be no pang of death, no anguish at his approach. 



180 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

With his brother he had long served his people, 
and, with few exceptions, had served them well. 
Now he was to depart. When the sacred vestments 
were removed from him doubtless he quietly lay 
down and died. The whole congregation, in the 
clear atmosphere of the desert, could see the process 
of his departure. And no wonder that, when all 
was over, " they mourned for Aaron for thirty days ; 
even all the house of Israel." 

His death indicated the ultimate transference of 
his priesthood to that of Christ, because of the mor- 
tality and imperfections of its possessors. So Paul 
says : " They truly were many priests, because they 
were not suffered to continue by reason of death : 
but this man [Christ Jesus], because he continueth 
ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." And beau- 
tifully does he add : " Wherefore he is able also to 
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by 
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for 
them." Heb. vii, 23-25. 



THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 



Chapter xxi, Verses 6-10.— The evangelistic 
character of this section of this chapter is clearly 
seen. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself gives it this 
distinction : " And as Moses lifted up the serpent 
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be 
lifted up : that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish, but have eternal life." John iii, 14, 15. 
Many have thought that the brazen serpent was 
not a type of Christ. But why not ? Certainly 
not because it was so insignificant ; certainly not 
because it was of brass. Other objects of no more 
importance in themselves are regarded as types 
of him — as the lamb, the rose of Sharon, the lily 
of the valley, and the lion. But supposing that it 
is not a type of him, it is certainly one of the most 
beautiful illustrations of his work, and of salvation 
by faith in him. Let us sketch a few points : 

I. The provision of this brazen serpent was 
made necessary on account of the sins of the 
people. They had murmured again, even amid 
their victories over King Arad and his hosts. 
Murmured for bread and water, when there was 
abundance of both within their reach. Their in- 
gratitude, like ours, is senseless, inexplicable, and 

baseless. No wonder that the Lord was displeased 

181 



182 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

with them ; no wonder that his anger was en- 
kindled against them. And was not Christ pro- 
vided for a race of sinners, guilty, ruined, and lost ? 
Did he not die even for his enemies? Was it not 
the sins of the world which made it necessary for 
him to die? Surely there was no other cause for 
his appearing, his agony, and his death. 

2. This provision was made through the mercy of 
God. They came with penitence and confession, say- 
ing: "We have sinned, we have spoken against the 
Lord, and against thee ; pray unto the Lord, that he 
take away the serpents from us." It was then that 
the infinite mercy of God interposed for them, and 
provided this deliverance. The brightest and most 
beautiful utterance ever made in the cold, dull ear' 
of this world is, " God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ- 
eth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life." And the kindred one: " Herein is love, not 
that we loved God, but that he loved us." It was 
only infinite goodness and mercy that made this 
provision of salvation. 

3. But what was the source of all this trouble in 
Israel? The Lord had sent among them fiery ser- 
pents, because of their sins. The country through 
which they were passing was then, and is now, full 
of poisonous serpents. Perhaps, up to this time, 
they had been held in check by the power and 
presence of the Lord ; but now they are allowed to 
proceed against them. 

Laborde tells us of an incident which occurred in 



THE BRAZEN SERPENT, 183 

his camp in this region. " The night passed over 
quietly, and the cold of the morning had warned us 
to rise, when we found beneath the carpet which 
formed our bed a large scorpion of a yellow color, 
and three inches in length. When he was detected 
he endeavored to effect his escape, though not with 
sufficient rapidity to ensure his safety ; but our 
Arabs did not wish that he should be killed. . . . 
The Alaouins tell us that scorpions and serpents 
abound in this part of the desert." He further tells 
us : " The fact thus recorded in Scripture is fully 
confirmed by the Arabs, as well as by the vast num- 
bers of these reptiles which we found two leagues to 
the east of this place, on our return to Akabah." 

These serpents are called " fiery." Many con- 
jectures have arisen to account for this expres- 
sion. Some have thought it was because of the 
deadliness of their bite; others because of the 
brightness of their color; others because of the 
blazing sunbeams on their scales ; and others still 
because of the burning inflammation caused by 
their bite. Ellicott says the word denotes a pe- 
culiar kind of serpent. It has been thought to be 
different from any of the poisonous serpents still to 
be found in the Akabah. A recent writer has 
suggested that the " Imamba," popularly called 
" Mamba," is the kind here referred to. Most ser- 
pents wait to be assaulted or injured before they 
attack a person ; but this one does not wait for 
these things. It pursues its victims from afar. It 
has been known to pursue a horseman. An En- 



184 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, 

glish explorer says that " in Zululand a party of 
children seeing a 'Mamba' in the field ran for 
safety to the public road. But the snake pursued 
them, and bit two of them fatally. There is no 
cure for its bite, and death follows within an hour." 
The bearers of Livingstone's body met with one 
as they were bringing their deceased leader to the 
coast. As the procession moved through a defile a 
monster snake, with a bright crest, darted from a 
thicket, bit a little girl who was in the van, and 
then disappeared with lightning speed into the 
thicket on the opposite side. The child died within 
twenty minutes. 

Isaiah twice mentions a fiery flying serpent. 
Whether this is the one mentioned here, or not, 
we cannot tell. No such serpent is known to natu- 
ralists now. 

4. In order that the poor bitten Israelites, many 
of whom had already died, might obtain relief 
and healing, Moses was ordered to make this ser- 
pent of brass, to lift it upon a pole, or banner-staff, 
and place it in a position from which all might 
see it. The Jews in the fact that this serpent was 
made of brass think they see a miracle within a 
miracle. They say that brass is hurtful to those 
who have been bitten by a serpent. A great writer 
thinks that reference is perhaps made to Escula- 
pius, the god of healing, who is usually repre- 
sented with a serpent by him, or holding a rod 
with a serpent twisted round it ; to his being wor- 
shiped in the form of a serpent, and to his being 



THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 185 

enrolled among the stars under the person and 
name of Ophinchus.* 

Let us now notice several particulars of the fact 
as presented : (a) It was made like the serpent by 
which they were bitten. It had its form and color. 
So it was necessary that Christ should be made in 
the likeness of sinful flesh. He had the form and 
appearance of the sin-smitten race which he had 
come to redeem. His body, in many respects, was 
like ours— with all the frailties of our human frames. 
His human soul was subjected to limitations with 
our own. In all points he was made like unto us, 
except one. (b) This leads us to notice that while 
this brazen serpent had the form of the fiery, it had 
none of its poison. It could not bite; it could not 
inject poison into the person. In itself it was ut- 
terly harmless. How true all this is of Christ ! 
" He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate 
from sinners." " Tempted in all points like as we 
are, and yet without sin." Having the form of 
man, but having none of his sin. (c) Look, again, 
at the fact that this serpent of brass must be lifted 
up on a banner-staff. This expression is made con- 
cerning Christ three times in the gospels. " Even so, 
must the Son of man be lifted up." » When ye have 
lifted np the Son of man, then shall ye know that I 
am he." John viii, 28. "And I, if I be lifted up from 
the earth, will draw all men unto me." John xii, 32. 
Christ said, " Even so must the Son of Man be lifted 
up." There was a necessity for this^ high as the 

* Vide Kitto, vol. ii, p. 192. 



1S6 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

heavens, because that without this man could never 
reach that home ; deep as hell, for if he had not been 
lifted up, we must have sunken to its very depths ; 
and vast as eternity, for without this our eternal 
well-being could never have been secured. But not 
only must he be lifted up on the cross, although 
this is the central thought of this illustration, and 
the center of man's hope ; but he must, also, be 
lifted up from the grave in vindication of his pur- 
pose and his claims; and he must be lifted up — ex- 
alted to the right hand of God — to the place where 
he was before, not only as the Son of God, but as 
the God-man, the Saviour, Mediator, and Inter- 
cessor of the world. 

Is it not well worth our while here to say that 
what caused the necessity for such an amazing ex- 
hibition of love was " the great dragon — that old 
serpent, called the devil." Was he not the tempter 
of our first parents? Did he not bring upon our 
race the curse of the fall ? Is it not by him that 
we are stung or bitten ? And is not Christ, the 
great Deliverer, typified by the brazen serpent? Is 
he not the eternal antagonist of the poisoned and 
envenomed serpent which typically bit and caused 
the inflammation and death of so many Israelites? 
Surely, if the old serpent has brought death upon 
our race, and all our woe, Christ brings relief and 
salvation. 

It is a beautiful thought to us that the brazen 
serpent was provided for all the tribes of Israel, 
and especially for every serpent-bitten one of every 



THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 187 

tribe. It was not merely for Judah, nor for Dan, 
nor for Ephraim ; but for all. The remedy was as 
ample as the demand ; so truly does this illustrate 
Christ's work. He did not die for the Jewish race, 
the descendants of Abraham alone ; nor for dis- 
tinctive portions of other nations and tribes of men ; 
but he died for every nation, and for every sinful 
soul of every nation. Wherever the sin-bitten soul 
is found, there is the provided salvation, abundant 
and free. Yet another condition is found in this 
connection. Not only was the brazen serpent lifted 
up ; but the bitten ones must look upon it. This 
was the Lord's condition for curing: " That every 
one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall 
live." Again, " It came to pass, that if a serpent 
had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent 
of brass, he lived." It was just as essential for the 
bitten one to look upon the brazen serpent as it 
was for God to provide it. If he did not look, the 
poison would go on working in his frame until 
death came to him ; otherwise no one could be 
healed. Beautifully is it said in the Book of Wis- 
dom, " He that turned himself toward it was not 
saved by the thing which he saw, but by thee. 
Thou art the Saviour of all." Chap, xvi, 7. Yet 
he must look ; simply look. Wonder of wonders 
that by this simple process he could be healed ! It 
was only to look and live. So the blessed Christ, 
the great antitype, says, " That whosoever believeth 
in him should not perish." We must further con- 
sider the glorious fact that every one who looked 



188 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, 

lived. No matter how rich or how poor, how old or 
how young, whether slightly or deeply bitten — all 
who looked lived. And is it not so with Jesus? 
Does not every soul that looks upon him with an eye 
of faith live ? Have not unnumbered millions thus 
looked and been saved ? Are they not now before 
the throne, eternally saved, simply by " looking unto 
Jesus ?" And are not millions now on the way to the 
Eternal City of God, who have thus been healed ? 

True, the bite is fearful, the wound inflamed, the 
death-rattle may already be in the throat ; but look, 
O look, dear soul, and thou shalt be saved. 

" Stung by the scorpion, sin, 

My poor expiring soul 
The balmy sound drinks in, 

And is at once made whole. 
See there my Lord upon the tree ; 
I see, I feel, he died for me." 

One more thought. Probably the brazen serpent 
was lifted up near the center of the camp. It cer- 
tainly must have been in a position where all could 
see it ; if not, the provision would have so far failed. 
But it seems plain, from the history, that all might 
see it ; and that all who were bitten did see it. So 
Christ was lifted up in the center of the world. 
Guyot, the great geographer, has well said, " West- 
ern Asia is not only the geographical center of the 
human family, but it is, moreover, the spiritual cen- 
ter ; it is the cradle of man's moral nature." It was 
right here, in the center, in the heart of the human 
race, that Christ was lifted up, that all might look 



THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 189 

on him and live. Thus he stands as the great cen- 
ter of attraction to earth and heaven ; standing up 
in the midst of the nations to draw all hearts toward 
him. He becomes the center of our faith, our hope, 
and our joy. And may it not be that Christ's cross 
is the great center of all God's works? Is it not 
the great point between two eternities — the ever- 
lasting provision and promise of the eternity that is 
past, and the everlasting wonder and joy and tri- 
umph of the eternity to come? So by his cross 
Jesus has reconciled "all things unto himself," 
" things in heaven, rolg ovpavolg — in the heavens, on 
earth, and things under the earth." Here, then, 
in the midst of the eternities, in the center of the 
universe ; in the geographical, spiritual, and moral 
center of the race ; in the center of revelation, 
Christ is lifted up. Toward him and his cross 
the eve of every archangel and angel, seraph and 
cherub, of every redeemed and glorified spirit is 
turned. Toward him, as the Saviour and Redeem- 
er, mayhap, every eye in the universe is directed ; 
and even from this little wrecked and lost orb on 
which we dwell millions are looking to him. He 
is thus the cynosure of all eyes ; the hope, the joy, 
the salvation of all worlds. 

We close this little dissertation on the brazen 
serpent by saying, it was preserved for seven hun- 
dred years, until the days of Hezekiah, when it had 
become so much the object of idolatrous worship 
that he called it Nehushtan, " a piece of brass," and 
brake it in pieces. 2 Kings xviii, 4. 



BALAK AND BALAAM. 



Chapter xxii, Verses 1-7. — This chapter con- 
tains the history of a frightened king and of a false 
prophet. The latter is mentioned in various parts 
of both the Old and New Testaments. The his- 
tory itself is peculiar, indicating to us to what 
resorts fear will drive us, and how far money or 
rewards will lead one who, at the first, seems to be 
proof against all attack in these directions. Balak 
had heard of all that had been done to Sihon, king 
of the Amorites, and to Og, the king of Bashan ; 
and he was, evidently, sorely afraid. What could he 
do ? His legitimate as well as natural allies and help-, 
ers had been destroyed, and the prospect of his own 
speedy destruction seems clearly before his eyes. 
He was not evidently aware of the needlessness of 
his trepidation and alarm, for God had given charge 
to Moses : " Distress not the Moabites, neither con- 
tend with them in battle." Deut. ii, 9. It has been 
thought that Balak was a Midianite, but that he had 
been imposed upon the Moabites as their king by 
their Amoritish conquerors. Probably his pertur- 
bations were intensified by this fact. Calling to- 
gether the elders of Midian, they agree to send for 
Balaam, the son of Beor, in order that, he might curse 

Israel, so that he could prevail against them. 
190 



BALAK AND BALAAM. 191 

Balaam was a soothsayer, a diviner, and an en- 
chanter. He lived among the highlands of Meso- 
potamia, from eighteen to twenty days distant from 
the plains of Moab. He certainly must have been 
well known in this region, and Balak, with his knowl- 
edge of him, concluded to send for him, although 
the journey was long and the cost might be great. 
He was evidently one who knew, and, in a sense, 
honored, the Lord Jehovah. His name is probably 
derived from bala, " to devour," with the terminal 
syllable am, or from the two words, bala, " he de- 
voured," and am, "people." "His father's name 
(Beor) from baar, "to consume," has been thought to 
denote that Balaam belonged to a family in which 
the magical art was hereditary. In Josh, xiii, 22 he 
is called a " soothsayer." * The purpose for which 
the messengers were sent was to invite Balaam to 
come and curse the people of Israel. This was a 
very common practice in the ancient times, and 
the custom is still observed among the heathen. 
We have an ancient form of this execration pre- 
served by Macrobius, an author of the fourth cent- 
ury : "Almighty Father of gods and men, or if 
thou wouldest rather be addressed as Jupiter, or if 
any other appellation be more grateful to thine 
ear, pour out, I conjure thee, upon 'this army' or 
4 this city,' as the case may be, the spirit of terror 
and dismay ; deprive of the sight of their eyes all 
those who shall level their blows against us, our 
legions, or troops ; spread darkness over all our en- 
* Ellicott. 



192 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

emies, over their cities, over their fields, over their 
armies. Look upon them as a thing accursed ; 
bring them under the hardest conditions that ever 
an enemy was constrained to undergo. As for me, 
to destruction, to destruction I devote them ; my 
curse I pour upon them, and take this prince, these 
captains, this people to be witness of it." * 

There can be no doubt that Balak believed in 
the potency of Balaam's magical incantations. He 
must have done so, or he would not have taken such 
pains to secure them. It is frequently noticed, 
however, in this history, that all his efforts were un- 
availing, and his curses were turned into blessings. 
Vers. 8-14. When the messengers arrived from 
Balak, his only answer was, " Lodge here this night, 
and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall 
speak unto me." During that night, while he still 
seemed to hold fast his integrity, God appeared to 
him and asked him, " What men are these here with 
thee?" Then he gave him the command, "Thou 
shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the 
people: for they are blessed." So in the morning, 
when he rose up, he said to the men whom Balak 
had sent, " The Lord refuseth to give me leave to 
go with you." Then the princes of Moab rose up 
and went to Balak, and told him all they had done 
and its result. Probably, also, they intimated to 
Balak that he might be induced to come if larger 
rewards were promised to him. 

Verses 14-21. — Accordingly more princes are 

* Saturnalia, book iii, c. 9. 



BALAK AND BALAAM. 193 

sent, more and larger rewards are offered, and Ba- 
laam begins to tamper with temptation. But even 
while doing this his talk is bold and brave, and his 
aspect devout and reverential. " If Balak would 
give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot 
go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less 
or more." He would have them, however, tarry 
another night. It was during that night that God 
permitted him to go. His love for the wages of 
unrighteousness had conquered him ; he had, doubt- 
less, made up his own mind to go, and the Lord 
allows him to do so, but only under the most rigid 
limitations. So he rose up in the morning to ar- 
range for his departure, and went with the princes. 
He made haste to secure " the wages of unrighteous- 
ness." O how often money will break down men's 
character, emasculate their consciences, and lead 
them into ruin which lies at their feet ! 

Verses 21-34. — But he is not to go without fur- 
ther warning. While on his journey the Lord 
sent an angel to stand in his way, with a drawn 
sword in his hand. But his eyes were so blinded 
that he did not see him. And yet the ass saw him, 
and when smitten by Balaam for refusing to go for- 
ward, opened his mouth and spoke to him. This 
was a remarkable, but not a unique, instance of the 
power of animals to speak. The heathen writers, 
Greek and Roman, refer to animals as having this 
power. Mythology tells us that Bacchus gave the 
power of speech to the ass which carried him over 

a river. This may have been traditionally con- 
13 



194 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

nected with this event. Homer tells us that the 
horse of Achilles had the faculty of speech given 
him by Juno. Pliny says that it is commonly re- 
ported among the ancients that an ox spoke. Livy 
mentions an ox which spoke in divers places, and 
tells of one particularly, which said, " Rome, take 
care of thyself." Elianus tells of a lamb that spoke 
in the times of Bocchoris. Others speak of the ram 
of Phrixus, the dog of Ariminum, and the elephant 
of Phorus, in India. But " here the Lord opened 
the mouth of the ass." His speaking was a mira- 
cle. Peter says, " Balaam was rebuked for his in- 
iquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice 
forbade the madness of the prophet." Surely he 
had enough to warn him in these transactions, with 
the angel and his drawn sword, and the ass with 
man's voice speaking to him. But all these things 
were insufficient. 

Balaam is now permitted to go on with the princes. 
And there is no inconsistency here. The absolute 
prohibition in this case was with reference to the 
cursing, and not to the going with the princes. 
" The going with the messengers, which was forbid- 
den in mercy at first, was enjoined in judgment at 
last. God often punishes disobedience to his de- 
clared will by permitting the transgressors to eat 
the fruit of their own ways, and to be filled with 
their own devices."* In like manner God permits 
the dumb ass to speak to him who was accustomed 
only to observe the braying of this animal. Many 
* Ellicott. 



BALAK AND BALAAM. 195 

think it strange that he did not express surprise 
that he was thus addressed. This, however, is not 
remarkable. Homer does not notice that Achilles 
was astonished at his horse speaking to him when 
his mouth was opened by Here ; but he is men- 
tioned as simply replying to the horse without any 
special notice of the prodigy. Both Balaam and 
Achilles were too much absorbed in the business 
on hand to do any thing else. How much pains 
the Lord takes to prevent us from going in the 
ways of iniquity! How he often hedges up our 
path ! How he puts obstacles in our way ! And 
when we are determined to follow certain lines of 
conduct which are offensive to him, how he pre- 
vents us from doing what would injure his Church 
and his chosen ones ! " He maketh even the wrath 
of man to praise him ; and he restraineth the re- 
mainder of wrath." Little did Balaam now think 
that he was going to death. Little did he think 
that in a short time he would be slain, and that 
his name would be held up before the passing ages 
as a synonym of all that is base and evil in false 
ambition, covetousness, and evil counsel. But so 
it was, and so it ever will be with such characters. 
He saw only the reward which Balak would give 
him for his professional auguries ; and, in his own 
mind, his plans were laid for future greatness and 
honor. But how easily and how fully the Lord 
overthrew them all. So he has done with millions, 
and so he is doing still. But too seldom do men 
pause long enough to listen to the voice of God. 



BALAAM AND HIS WORK. 



Chapter xxiii, Verses i-ii. — Balaam has now 
reached Balak, the two are together, and now his 
work begins. This is begun under the formal pre- 
tense of offering sacrifices to God. There can be 
no reasonable doubt that Balak was the real offerer. 
Chap, xxii, 40. Kings often acted as priests in the 
olden times. Seven was regarded as a sacred num- 
ber by the Greeks and Romans. And long ages be- 
fore their national existence, when these sacrifices 
were offered, they went to a high, a lonely, soli- 
tary, mountain place, some barren summit, when 
they hoped to hear from Balaam the hoped-for 
curses against Israel. Now the Lord who opened 
the ass's mouth opens Balaam's, and causes him 
to speak words which are contrary to his own per- 
verse will. He cannot curse whom the Lord de- 
lights to bless. " Lo, the people shall dwell alone 
[or it is a people that dwelleth alone] and shall not 
be reckoned among the nations." Hengstenberg 
well remarks here : " How truly Balaam said that 
Israel did not reckon itself with the heathen ap- 
pears from the fact that, while all the powerful 
empires of the ancient world — the Egyptian, As- 
syrian, Babylonian, and others — have utterly per- 
ished, Israel (which even under the old covenant 
196 



BALAAM AND HIS WORK. 197 

was rescued from so many dangers that threatened 
its entire destruction, particularly in being brought 
back from exile) flourishes anew in the Church of 
the new covenant, and continues also to exist in 
that part of it which, though at present rejected, 
is destined to restoration at a future period." * It 
is in the midst of these inspirations that he ex- 
presses a desire which has since been adopted by 
millions: " Let me die the death of the righteous; 
and let my last end be like his." Yet while he 
gives utterance to this desire, his whole character 
and conduct are such as to be diametrically oppo- 
site to his convictions and desires. No man can 
die the death of the righteous unless he first is 
righteous. And yet how many are deceiving them- 
selves with the vain hope that in some way, by 
some fortuitous circumstances into the nature of 
which they do not pause to inquire, nor how or when 
they will occur, after all they may die the death 
of the righteous. And hence they often endeavor 
to palliate their conduct and excuse their wicked- 
ness. They will call their covetousness economy ; 
their extortion fraud, and overreaching in business 
shrewdness ; their licentiousness a necessity ; and 
their false ambition a laudable desire to rise in the 
world. Then they also vainly attempt to magnify 
their good deeds. Do they not believe in God ? 
Do they not respect religion ? Do they not occa- 
sionally attend, or even belong to, the Church of 
God ? Do they not speak well of Christians, espe- 

* History of Balaam. 



198 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

daily if they are not too pious? Do they not even 
contribute occasionally to the cause of God? O, 
these are the ones who in the last day will say, 
" Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? 
and in thy name have cast out devils ? " And then 
the Master will say, " I never knew you : depart 
from me, ye that work iniquity." Then their char- 
acter will be unmasked, and eternity will echo their 
reproach and curses for their madness and folly. 
It should never be forgotten that if we live in 
sin we shall die in sin ; and that, however we may 
desire to die the death of the righteous, such a 
result is simply impossible if we have lived in 
sin and folly. Like the professional fool whom a 
great king invested with a staff, cap, and bells, 
and then told him to wear them until he found 
a greater fool than himself. By and by the king 
was dying. He sent for the fool, and told him he 
was going on a journey, a very long journey, and 
that he would never return. " What provision have 
you made for the journey ? " said the fool. " None," 
said the dying king. " What ! " said the fool. " Are 
you going into eternity without making any pro- 
vision for it ? " " Yes," said the king, with a heavy 
sigh. The fool dropped his staff, cap, and bells and 
laid them before the king, saying, " I was only to 
keep them till I found a greater fool than myself: 
and I have found him." 

Verses H-25. — What must have been the sur- 
prise, mortification, and disgust of Balak when he 
heard the blessing of Balaam upon Israel ! But an- 



BALAAM AND HIS WORK. 199 

other trial must be made at once. He had prob- 
ably first seen the whole of Israel spread out before 
him in the encampment ; now he is only to see the 
utmost part of them. It may be that Balak con- 
ceived Balaam had been frightened by the vastness 
of their numbers, if he had seen the whole of them ; 
or if, as some suppose, he had only seen a part of 
them, he did not understand Balak's anxiety to be 
saved from the danger of such a formidable invasion. 
And yet, after the secoiid trial, only blessings pro- 
ceed from his mouth upon Israel. He stands upon 
Pisgah — a hill ; was it the same upon which Moses 
afterward stood, as he looked upon the promised 
land? — and then returns to Balak, saying in his 
ecstasy, " There is no enchantment against Jacob, 
neither is there any divination against Israel." 
They did not need any thing of this kind. They 
had God in the midst of them, revealing his acts, 
his counsel, .and his will ; what, then, did they need 
of enchantments, or divination ? 

Hengstenberg writes again of this scene : " What 
is here affirmed of Israel applies to the Church in 
all ages, and, also, to every individual believer. 
The Church of God knows from his own word what 
he does, and what it has to do in consequence. 
The wisdom of the world resembles augury and 
divination. The Church of God, which is in pos- 
session of his word, has no need of it." It might 
be further added that whenever the Church resorts 
to these worldly maneuverings to increase her 
numbers, her wealth, or her force it will always 



200 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

fail ; but when it relies upon God no weapon 
formed against it will prosper ; no enemy will suc- 
ceed in permanently injuring it, or hindering its 
progress. 

11 In the furnace God may prove thee, 
Thence to bring thee forth more bright ; 

But can never cease to love thee, 
Thou art precious in his sight ; 

God is with thee, 
God thine everlasting light." 



HIS LAST EFFORT. 



Chapter xxiv, Verses 1-7. — Foiled in his at- 
tempts to curse Israel, Balaam is now overpowered 
by the divine Spirit, and, for a season, acts as God's 
mouth-piece. It may be asked, " Why did God 
condescend to use the mouth of this vile and wicked 
man ? " Of this we cannot speak fully. But this is 
not the only instance in which he has done this 
thing. Did he not do it in the messengers of Saul, 
and afterward in Saul himself? Did he not do it 
in the case of Caiaphas? And can he not use 
whatever instrument he wills? Did he not use the 
mouth of the dumb ass, and cannot he use the 
mouth of the soothsayer? God certainly can use 
the mouth of a wicked man to proclaim his truth. 
There can be no doubt of this whatever. Why he 
does this, we cannot always, if ever, tell. These 
words of Balaam not only refer to ancient Israel, 
but more fully now to God's spiritual Israel. In this 
latter sense they have their highest and grandest 
fulfillment. The tents of Israel and the tabernacles 
of Jacob were good — beautiful. Beautiful in their 
order and in their numbers and in their significance. 
In themselves they were probably but coarse cam- 

el's-hair tents, but they were the dwelling-places of 

201 



202 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

a people whom God loved, and they were shadowed 
by his almighty wings. 

So in the spiritual realm. God's Israel is only 
beautiful in the glory and honor which Christ 
gives. He makes even their enemies to praise 
them oftentimes. Not so much — not at all — fdt 
what they are in themselves, but for what Christ 
has made of them. All this vision of Balaam was 
the work of the Holy Spirit. He saw that of which 
he speaks. His outward eyes were shut, but his 
inward eyes saw the mighty movements of God's 
panorama of the nations, and seeing all this he fell 
upon his face in wonder and astonishment. So 
Ezekiel and Daniel and John fell, under the pres- 
ence and glory of the Lord. Yet Balaam seems to 
claim the honor of all this. He boasts of the favor 
which God had shown him, and of his capacity to 
receive and transmit these truths. " He heard 
the words of God, and saw the visions of the 
Almighty." 

Verse 7- — Here is a beautiful allusion to the 
blessings which Israel should bring to the nations ; 
like a man carrying his buckets full of water. "This," 
says Bishop Wordsworth, " is a type and leading 
source of blessing and prosperity in the East, and is 
a beautiful type of the true Israel in the gospel day 
pouring out the living waters of salvation, the pure 
streams of the Spirit making the wilderness of the 
world to rejoice and be glad." " His kings shall be 
higher than Agag." This name of Agag seems to 
have been the title of the Amalekite kings. So he 



HIS LAST EFFOR T. 203 

was literally in Israel when Saul conquered him 
and Samuel slew him. His reference to Israel as a 
lion was true of him even then ; more true in the 
time of David and Solomon, and still more true 
under the gospel dispensation. Bishop Patrick 
s£ys : " The lion does not retire into places of shelter 
to sleep, but he lies down anywhere, knowing that 
no one dares meddle with him." So " the righteous 
are bold as a lion." Fearing God, they do not fear 
any thing, or any one else. Truly, " blessed is 
he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curs- 
eth thee." This has been true in all the ages. 
The enemies of God's saints have cursed them at 
their peril. Great have been the calamities of those 
who have opposed or hindered them, and multi- 
plied the blessings of those who have encouraged 
and helped them. This is the blessing which was 
pronounced upon Abraham by the Lord, and was 
afterward adopted by Isaac in the blessing pro- 
nounced upon Jacob. Nations have melted away, 
empires and kingdoms have fallen into the dust, but 
Israel lives, and the Jewish people have survived 
the changes of forty centuries. More than this. 
The Church of God has outlived all her enemies, 
has triumphed over them all, and is going forward 
victoriously to conquer the world. Israel is blessed 
of the Lord, and blessed she shall be. No weapon 
formed against her shall prosper; no hand or 
tongue assailing her shall succeed. She dwells 
under the shadow of the Almighty, and none can 
make her afraid. Poor Balaam retires in dismay, 



204 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

after once more giving to Balak an insight into the 
future blessedness and glory of Israel. 

Verses 13-17. — It was no wonder that Balak's 
anger was kindled against him. So great, indeed, 
was it, that he smote his hands together, signifying 
by this action his feeling of intense indignation. 
This had kept him from the honor which Balak had 
intended to bestow, and from the wealth which he 
had designed to impart. Balaam was evidently not 
a man to eschew this honor or this wealth ; but 
God had taken him into his own hands, so that he 
could only speak what the Lord ordered or permit- 
ted him to announce. 

Now, in his final address, he utters all the Lord's 
counsel concerning the future of Israel. It was, 
doubtless, subsequent to this that he " taught Ba- 
lak to cast a stumbling-block before the children 
of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to 
commit fornication." But just now he is under a 
divine afflatus, and he must speak only as God 
commands. 

Verses 17-25- — " There shall come a Star out of 
Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel." The 
star is a fitting emblem of a great king or mighty 
ruler. It was perhaps in view of this that the pre- 
tender to the title of Messiah, in the days of the Em- 
peror Adrian, took the name of Bar-Cocheba, " the 
son of a star." " The words of the magi, We have 
seen his star in the east (Matt, ii, 2), appear to have 
reference to this prophecy." * This was " the star 

* Ellicott. 



HIS LAST EFFOR T. 205 

of Bethlehem/' "the bright and the morning star." 
Above the brilliancy of a thousand suns he sheds 
his light upon man's dreary pathway, and points 
him to salvation and mansions of endless rest. 
There can be no doubt of the application of this 
utterance to the Messiah. Many Jewish interpret- 
ers so regard it. As Ibn Ezra says : " These words 
are interpreted by some as belonging to David ; but 
by many as belonging to the Messiah." But some 
may say, " Christ did not smite the corners of Moab 
and destroy all the children of Heth, and make 
Edom a possession and Seir also for his enemies." 
True, but Moab and Edom are spoken of represent- 
atively, and signify the enemies of Christ and his 
Church. As such Christ has smitten them, and will 
yet smite them more fully. True, David, who was 
a type of the Messiah, smote the corners of Moab, 
and took possession of Edom and Mount Seir; but 
Christ shall smite all his foes, and reign victoriously 
over all his enemies. Amalek was destroyed in the 
days of Samuel, its king hewn into pieces by the 
prophet, and the nation has disappeared from the 
earth. So with the strongly fortified Kenites ; then 
and afterward the securest of the nations, they were 
to be carried into captivity with the ten tribes by 
the Assyrians. It matters not how strong or how 
powerful nations may be, they will fall into desue- 
tude and decay if they array themselves against 
God. It is truly marvelous to see how far-reaching 
this prophecy of Balaam is, looking forward not 
only fifteen hundred years before Christ, but also to 



206 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

the time of the Romans and the Greeks. The ships 
which were to come from Chittim (ver. 24) refer, it 
is thought, to these powers. The Vulgate identifies 
the Chittim with the Romans ; other authorities 
identify them with the Greeks. So it is thought 
in the prophecy of Isaiah that the isles of Chit- 
tim have evident reference to Greece. This refer- 
ence to Rome pagan and Rome papal as a perse- 
cuting power is significant. The ships which were 
to come from the coast of Chittim were to " afflict 
Eber." Some have thought that this refers to the 
Jews only. And how much they afflicted the Jews 
God only knows. But the word has a larger sig- 
nificance, and includes all of God's people. No 
mind can conceive, and no tongue can tell, how 
much they have afflicted and persecuted God's 
saints. In prison and amphitheater, in dungeons 
and exile, in tortures and deaths they for ages did 
this work. But it seems from this prophecy that 
this persecuting power shall perish forever. Old 
pagan Rome is already destroyed ; nothing but 
traces of its former grandeur and power and glory 
are known. So papal Rome shall be destroyed. 
Even now the pope grieves and mourns for tem- 
poral supremacy, which, we think, has slipped away 
from his hands forever. There can scarcely be a 
doubt that if an attempt were made for its restora- 
tion to him, its population would rather see the 
old eternal city burned to the ground and per- 
ish than have it take place. Who can read the 
eighteenth chapter of Revelation without the im- 



HIS LA ST EFFOR T. 207 

pression that at some future period, and it may 
be near, this will occur ; and this city, like the an- 
cient Babylon, be left a desolation upon the face 
of the earth ? Balaam says, it will " perish for- 
ever." Ellicott, quoting Kiel, in loco, says: " The 
overthrow of this last power of the world, concern- 
ing which the prophet Daniel was the first to re- 
ceive and proclaim new revelations, belongs to the 
end of the days, in which the Star out of Jacob is 
to rise as a bright and morning star." 

" It is an interesting question for us to consider 
briefly: How did Balaam's prophecies come into 
the hands of the children of Israel ? It is suggested 
that it is barely possible that he may have had 
communication with Moses, in the expectation of 
receiving from him the reward which he had failed 
to obtain from Balak, or, if captured, in the hope 
of saving his life." * But we would suggest, as still 
more probable, that they were carried about his 
person, and when he was slain they were recovered 
from his body. Of course all this is conjecture. 
We have no means of positively knowing how they 
were secured. No further light may ever be ob- 
tained concerning them ; nor does this matter so 
much as the fact that we have them, and that they 
have shed so much light upon the past and present 
condition of the Church of God. 
* Ellicott. 



THE RESULTS OF BALAAM'S COUNSELS. 



Chapter xxv, Verses 1-12. — Here is seen the 
consummation of Balaam's work against Israel. 
No doubt whatever can be entertained that all 
which is here recorded was in accordance with 
the advice and counsel which he gave to Balak. 
So we read in Rev. ii, 14 : " Who taught Balak 
to cast a stumbling-block before the children of 
Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to 
commit fornication." In other words, he must 
have said substantially to Balak: '" I cannot curse 
Israel, but I will tell you how you can entrap them. 
Induce them to come to your feasts and to cohabit 
with your women ; then they will be cursed indeed." 
So while they abode in Shittim the work of com- 
mitting whoredom with the daughters of Moab was 
begun ; they were called to their sacrifices, and the 
people ate and bowed down to their gods. Now 
the work of ruin has commenced ; now the results 
of his intrigues were made known. This god of 
the Moabites, to whom the Israelites were joined, 
was probably Chemosh, who was their god of war. 
Hence we see how this demoniacal act of Balaam 
had produced its legitimate results. The anger of 
the Lord was enkindled against them. And so he 

ordered that all the heads, or judges, of the people, 
208 



THE RESULTS OF BALAAM'S COUNSELS 209 

who had been the chief offenders in this matter, 
should be hung up before the Lord. This, as well 
as stoning, was the Hebrew method of punishment. 
The same word is used here, in the Septuagint, 
which is used in Heb. vi, 6, and is there translated 
" to put to an open shame." * But still this fearful 
work went on. Indeed, they seem to have lost all 
sense of modesty and shame. There is no sin 
which equals this for the destruction of all sense 
of shame. Right in the sight of Moses, and of 
all the congregation who were weeping before 
the Lord, an Israelite brings in a Midianitish 
woman into his tent for licentious purposes. 
This was the running over of the cup of iniquity ; 
this was the height of their sin. And now it was 
that Phinehas, a ruler as well as a priest, a man of 
high authority, could bear this no longer. He rises 
up, seizes his javelin, goes after them into the tent, 
and thrusts them both through their vital parts in 
their guilty act. This stayed the plague which had 
broken forth among them. Even while it is thought 
the judges were derelict in their duty, the Psalm- 
ist says, " Then stood up Phinehas, and executed 
judgment ; and so the plague was stayed." Psa. cvi, 
30. But fearful had been the ravages of that plague. 
Twenty-four thousand, the apostle says twenty- 
three thousand, fell in one day. The apparent dis- 
crepancy in numbers arises, probably, from the fact 
that a thousand had been put to death by the judges, 
besides those who fell under the plague. It is al- 
14 *EUicott. 



210 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

ways thus when God arises to judgment ; he smites 
terribly the transgressors of his law. Sometimes 
the Lord permits iniquity to reach its utmost limit, 
as in the case of slavery in this land ; but when that 
point is reached there is no more room for forbear- 
ance. Then he smites, and the overflowings of his 
anger are fearful in the extreme. It may yet be so 
with intemperance and other evils which seem to 
demand the direct interference of the Lord for their 
removal. 

It is well, also, to remember that the names of 
these guilty parties are preserved in remembrance 
as synonyms of the shamelessness of lust, and 
the fearful punishment which follows in its indul- 
gence. Men and women were wild with its excite- 
ment and blinded and blurred in their conscience 
by its power, and in the face of heaven, in the very 
sight of the congregation of the saints, in the most 
fearful exposure to the most, dreadful penalties, 
they rush on until overtaken by the storm of ven- 
geance in which so soon they are sure to be utterly 
consumed. 

Zimri and Cozbi are a duality of names which 
stand as a warning forever to all such persons. 



THE RENUMBERING OF ISRAEL. 



Chapter xxvi, Verses 1-65.— Nearly forty years 
before this Israel was numbered, as recorded in 
chapters first and second. Great changes had oc- 
curred since that period, great plagues had been 
inflicted upon them, and the decree for the over- 
throw of all who had rejected the report of Caleb 
and Joshua had been carried out. Now the sig- 
nificance of all of this was made known. This last 
plague had probably destroyed the remainder of this 
class of persons. The comparison in their numbers 
is of very deep interest. Some few of the tribes 
gained — as Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, 
Benjamin, Dan, and Asher — seven in all. The 
other tribes had lost — Reuben, Simeon, Gad, 
Ephraim, and Naphtali. The former tribes had 
gained fifty-nine thousand two hundred ; but the 
latter had lost more than was gained by them, 
namely, sixty-one thousand nine hundred. So 
that, on the whole, they were losers in population 
and strength ; and after forty years they are one 
thousand eight hundred less than they were at that- 
time. Another singular fact is the large gain to 
the tribe of Manasseh. This was twenty thousand 
five hundred. This tribe, originally, was one of 

the smallest, but now it rises, in proportions of 

211 



212 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

population, to one of the largest ; while Ephrain 
was reduced, so that, from being one of the most 
numerous tribes, it now sinks among the least. Ju- 
dah, as the representative of the Church of God, 
increased one thousand nine hundred. It was now 
made apparent that Jacob's prophecy had been ful- 
filled, namely, that Manasseh should excel Ephrain 
in numbers and in power, as he crossed his hands 
upon their heads, and foretold their future condi- 
tions. Numbers, in themselves, are small things in 
which to glory. They are very variable and change- 
ful. Churches which are so boastful of numbers, 
and are ever repeating them, will in the end, we 
fear, seem small in the sight of God. We should 
always speak of them modestly and carefully, and 
never mention them in any other way than for the 
glory of our Master. 

Another item of interest here is the reference to 
the fearful rebellion of Dathan and Abiram. Here it 
is said, ver. 10; " And the earth opened her mouth, 
and swallowed them up together with Korah, when 
that company died, what time the fire devoured 
two hundred and fifty men : and they became a 
sign. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died 
not." So it seems that Korah perished at the same 
time with Dathan and Abiram. The Samaritan 
Pentateuch has a different reading here. It tran- 
sposes the two words, " and Korah," and combines 
them with the words " and the two hundred and 
fifty men," thus: " When the fire devoured Korah 
and the two hundred and fifty men." It is possible 



THE RENUMBERING OF ISRAEL. 213 

that there may have been an omission in chap, 
xvi, 32 : " All the men that appertained unto, or of 
words denoting all the goods belonging to." * 

Yet, again, it seems that the tribe of Simeon de- 
creased thirty-seven thousand. Let us remember 
this was the tribe to which Zimri belonged. Did 
he lead others of his tribe astray with him ? Is it 
not a singular fact that upon this tribe no blessing 
was pronounced, and that in the allotment to the 
tribes the inheritance of Simeon was only the rem- 
nant of that which was assigned to the tribe of 
Judah? Josh, xix, 9. 

Bishop Wordsworth observes here as follows: 
" When the Israelites were suffering persecution in 
Egypt they multiplied exceedingly (Exod. i, 7-20) ; 
but after their deliverance from Egypt they re- 
belled against God, and he consumed their days in 
vanity, and their years in trouble." And has this 
not always been true? The days of the Church's 
prosperity have been the days of her trial and per- 
secution. But in prosperity she has become vain 
and haughty, presumptuous and indifferent, and 
then her decline has begun. O that this lesson 
may be written deeply upon the heart of the 
Churches of the present day! So many of them 
are yielding to the spirit of worldliness, indifference, 
and neglect, glorying in their numbers, their re- 
spectability, their wealth, and forgetting the only 
Rock whence their strength is derived. 

But while disaster and death befell the thousands 
* Ellicott. 



214 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

of Israel, Caleb and Joshua were preserved. " Not 
a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest 
numbered, when they numbered the children of 
Israel in the wilderness of Sinai," was found. " For 
the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die 
in the wilderness." But these two men, who had 
been faithful among the faithless, obedient among 
the transgressors, and believing among the unbe- 
lieving were spared. God had promised this to 
them, and his promise was fulfilled before their 
eyes. 



THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD. 



Chapter xxvii, Verses 1-12. — It is interesting 
for us to see, so far back in the history of the world, 
the interest in, and deference paid to, woman. This 
has been the question of the ages : How shall we 
treat woman ? What is her status in the social 
sphere? What is her place in the work of the 
Church? It is still an unanswered question. But 
we think in our day it is coming nearer to its full 
and final settlement. The recent session of a Gen- 
eral Conference, in Methodist circles, and the action 
of women in temperance, in the missionary cause, 
on the platform, in the pulpit, and in other ways, is 
evidently drawing the matter to a conclusion, which, 
we think, should have been reached long ages ago. 
All efforts to exclude woman from her properly ad- 
justed rights must fail. God is on her side, and his 
word is on her side. The efforts of some Churches 
to padlock their lips, to refuse them permission to 
say, even in the house of God, that Christ died for 
them, or to speak upon religious questions in the 
presence of their lords must come to an end. 

Here, in this chapter, is a beautiful illustration 

of this whole question. These daughters of Zelo- 

phehad were five in number, and they had the 

courage to stand before Moses, nearly four thou- 

215 



216 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

sand years ago, and plead for their rights. But not 
only did they stand before Moses, but also before 
Eleazar, the priest, and before the princes and all 
the congregation. It required some courage to do 
this ; but they felt and knew that they were right, 
and, consequently, they acted accordingly. There 
was nothing which their father had done which 
could possibly disinherit them. He was not in 
Korah's company, but died in his own sin. Some 
have supposed, and, indeed, it is a Jewish tradition, 
that he was the man who had been stoned for gath- 
ering sticks on the Sabbath day. But the more 
common understanding is, that he died as other 
men die, according to the course of nature or as 
the result of sin. 

How beautiful it is to see how quickly the Lord 
returned an answer to Moses in this case : " The 
daughters of Zelophehad speak right." Yes, and 
women in their intuitive judgments are oftener right 
than men are. No man who has an intelligent wife 
will dispute this. Times without number they will 
decide questions on the instant over which men 
will pore for hours. A witty French writer has 
said, that "when a man has toiled hard, step by 
step, up a flight of stairs, he will be sure to find a 
woman at the top ; but she will not be able to tell 
how she got there. That, however, is of little mo- 
ment, so long as she is there." It is always so in 
domestic and secular life ; it is frequently so in re- 
ligious matters. Well did Martin Luther say, 
that " the noblest thing God ever made on earth is 



THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD. 217 

the heart of a right noble, loving woman." God 
has fixed the character and destiny of the true 
woman, and after the ages have passed away, ages 
which have witnessed the wrong done to her, she 
will yet find her true place. The idea that a wom- 
an who does the full work of a man shall only re- 
ceive half his pay is preposterous. The idea that 
she is to be excluded from all counsel and govern- 
ance in the Church and State must give way; and 
in both Church and State her power will be felt. It 
is a wonder that the keen eye of Bible-reading 
women has not earlier learned from this narrative 
of the daughters of Zelophehad its power as an 
illustration in their behalf. If women have souls, 
if they are redeemed by the blood of Christ, if they 
are saved, as their brothers, husbands, and fathers 
are, by faith, why should they not have their rights ? 
why should they not be equal with them in the 
Church and in the State? 

Verses 12-23. — Is it not astonishing that, right 
in connection with the adjustment of the rights 
of the daughters of Zelophehad to an inheritance 
in the land of Canaan, Moses himself records his 
exclusion from that land ? Yet he does it boldly 
and bravely. " The mountains of Abarim form the 
Moabitish table-land, the northern portion of which 
bore the name of Pisgah. It is here that we must 
look for Mt. Nebo, which is sometimes described as 
one of the mountains of Abarim (Deut. xxxii, 49), 
and at other times as the top of Pisgah." * Deut. 
* Ellicott. 



218 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

iii, 27; xxxiv, I. Moses was the representative of 
the law ; and the law could not bring men to per- 
fection, nor to heaven. " The law," says Bishop 
Wordsworth, " led men to see the promises afar off 
and to embrace them, to see and greet the prom- 
ises from afar, and it brought them to the borders 
of Canaan, but could not bring them into it ; that 
was reserved for Joshua, the type of Jesus." It 
seems, therefore, only right and proper that Moses 
should be excluded, and that Joshua, the represent- 
ative of Christ, should have the honor of bringing 
them in. God never conceals men's faults from 
their eyes, nor from the eyes of the world ; and 
hence Moses, his friend, to whom he had spoken 
face to face, as to no other man, is rebuked, because 
" ye rebelled against my commandment in the des- 
ert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanc- 
tify me at the water before their eyes." 

The whole history of this transaction is familiar 
to every reader of the Bible, and needs not to be re- 
peated here. And now from Pisgah's summit he was 
to see the goodly land, even Lebanon. Whether 
he saw all its borders is questionable ; but very 
probably the whole passed before his eyes in a sort of 
panoramic vision. And when he had seen it, loom- 
ing up in its brightness and beauty before his eyes ; 
when he saw how near God's promise was to its ful- 
fillment, then he was to pass away into the heavens ; 
then he was to be gathered unto his people, as Aaron 
was. The fact of his death is here beautifully ex- 
pressed : " He was to be gathered to his people." 



THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD. 219 

There was no deep, dark river for him to cross ; no 
chilly, icy waves for him to pass through ; no dark 
and dreamy shadows for him to endure. No ; sim- 
ply, he was to be " gathered to his people." How 
beautifully at last he must have passed away! The 
Jewish writers say that "God kissed his spirit 
away." No doubt angels were near him at that 
time, as they were at the giving of the law on 
Mt. Sinai, and fanned him with their wings and 
escorted him to his eternal home. There can be no 
doubt that he is there. After fifteen hundred years 
had passed away he re-appeared with Elijah and 
Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, and com- 
muned with Christ concerning " his decease which 
he should accomplish in Jerusalem." It is said that 
the whole heavenly host sing the " song of Moses 
. . . and of the Lamb." But yet no man knows 
where his body lies, or where is the place of his 
sepulcher. Away down in some one of the gorges 
of Abarim "angels dug his grave and God buried 
him." He was one of the greatest, mightiest, and 
best men that the good and great God ever made. 
His name is more widely known to-day than the 
name of Alexander, or Caesar, or Charlemagne, or 
Bonaparte or Wellington, or any other of the 
world's great and good men. Moses, Christ, and 
Paul are a trinity of names the world will always 
remember and can never lose sight of. 

Is it not remarkable here that he expresses no 
concern for himself nor for his family? His great 
desire is that " the Lord, the God of the spirits 



220 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

of all flesh, should set a man over the congrega- 
tion that they be not as sheep without a shep- 
herd." No wonder that he was anxious about 
his successor in office. Here is an utter absence 
of all self-seeking. He does not plead for a mem- 
ber of his own family to succeed him, not even for 
his own son, as many others have done ; but he 
commits it all into the hands of God : Let the 
Lord appoint the man ; he knows best who the 
man is who shall succeed me. There is no out- 
burst of grief; no remorseful words; his mind is 
fixed upon his people. His great desire is that 
the Lord will appoint a true shepherd for his 
flock. God always has his instruments ready for 
his work. He calls them to the work he has for 
them to do, and he fits them for it ; for he is " the 
Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh." How 
remarkably does Moses here indicate the great fact 
of man's spiritual nature. Man is not merely ma- 
terial or physical, but he is also a spirit, an immor- 
tal spirit, which allies him to God, his Creator, 
Preserver, and Redeemer. It is this spirit which 
dignifies and exalts him in the sight of God and 
of angels, of men and of demons. The Lord, who 
is himself a Spirit, has made man a spirit like him- 
self. Therefore he knows best how to judge the 
qualifications, the aptitudes, and faculties of men 
for the positions he would have them occupy. So 
Moses's request is at once granted. Joshua, long 
trained; Joshua, who had led Israel in triumph 
against Amalek and prevailed ; Joshua, who had 



THE DA UGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD. 221 

gone up with the spies to the land of promise and 
brought back with Caleb a good report ; Joshua, 
who had survived while a whole generation had 
passed away -, Joshua, now eighty-six years old, a 
prince and a mighty warrior, was chosen for this 
high honor. Nor is there any wonder at this choice. 
He was a mighty man, a courageous man, a mighty 
prince, and a great warrior ; but more than all this — 
above all this — he was a type and a representative 
of Christ. Moses was a type of his prophetical and 
mediatorial character ; but Joshua was a type of 
his salvation. His very name, indeed, is that of 
Saviour or deliverer. Jesus is our Joshua. He is 
" the end of the law for righteousness to every one 
that believeth ;" he can bring us into the Canaan- 
land, the land of perfect love on earth ; and he can 
bring us safely into his heavenly kingdom at last. 
Joshua was formally set apart for his work by the 
laying on of hands. Christ, our Deliverer and Re- 
deemer, was anointed to be a Prince and a Saviour; 
the Prophet and the King of this people. So God 
works. As generation after generation passes away, 
he is ready with his instruments to see that his work 
is carried on. And this mighty Joshua, whom he 
hath anointed, will not " fail nor be discouraged, 
till he have set judgment in the earth: and the 
isles shall wait for his law." 



THE LAW OF SACRIFICE. 



Chapter xxviii, Verses 1-31. — It is generally 
supposed that for nearly thirty-eight years the 
offering of sacrifices was largely suspended. Bishop 
Patrick conjectures that the lamb was offered daily, 
morning and evening, and doubled on the Sabbath 
day. But of this we do not know. Amos, in his 
prophecy, says : " Have ye offered unto me sacrifices 
and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house 
of Israel?" This was quoted by Stephen in his 
address to the Sanhedrin. From this it is implied 
that they did not. Ibn Ezra quotes the sixth verse 
as a proof that the " Israelites ceased to offer burnt 
sacrifices after they left the encampment at Sinai 
throughout the time of their wanderings in the 
wilderness." 

But now the law is re-enacted, and its observance 
re-enforced. They were soon to enter upon a series 
of military engagements. They must not forget 
them on this account. Then, also, they were to 
enter Canaan, where the observance of this law 
must be continued through the centuries. And so, 
while enjoying the land which God was to give 
them, they were not to forget the giver, but to re- 
member his mercy toward them. Yet another 

thought here : these sacrifices were all typical of 
222 



THE LA W OF SACRIFICE. 223 

the coming Redeemer, who was to make his ap- 
pearance in this land, and they were never to be 
omitted until he should come. In verse 2 they 
are also forcibly reminded that what they were to 
offer to God of right belonged to him already. It 
was "My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices 
made by fire." True, they were to offer these sac- 
rifices through the appointed priesthood ; but they 
were to recognize the fact that what they offered 
belonged already to God. His are not only the 
" silver and gold," but also " the cattle upon a thou- 
sand hills." " The word korban is a general word 
for an oblation. It may denote in this place the 
mine hah, or " meal offering," or the " show-bread 
offerings" which were directly connected with a 
settled life in Canaan rather than with a nomadic 
life in the wilderness.* 

The daily offering of a lamb, morning and even- 
ing, was one of the most striking types of Christ as 
the Lamb of God offered under the law. The 
wine offered was to be of the strong kind ; it was 
not to be drunk, but to be poured forth upon' the 
altar. Ainsworth says : " The wine must be strong, 
because it was a figure of the blood of Christ,* the 
memorial of which, as it is left to the Church now, 
is wine ; and of the blood of the martyrs, which was 
poured out as a drink-offering " upon the sacrifice 
and service of your faith." Phil, ii, 17. We find here, 
also, another distinct recognition of the Sabbath, as 
well as the duty of its faithful observance. On that 
* Ellicott. 



224 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

day the sacrifices were to be doubled, indicating to 
us that on that day our services are to be multi- 
plied and our duties enlarged. The Sabbath be- 
longs to God, and is to be employed only in his 
service. 

As to the new moons various theories have been 
presented as to their observance. Of course, they 
were observed, and with increasing interest as the 
centuries passed away. But the question will arise, 
Why was all this ? Some think it was a recogni- 
tion of divine providence ; others of divine mercy. 
Some have thought that the observance looked 
back to the creation, when God " appointed the 
moon for seasons." " Astronomy tells us of the 
influence of the moon upon the earth and the sea. 
It is an indispensable part of our solar system, and 
an inseparable companion of our rolling earth. 
And while we may not always be able to tell why 
it is so, yet we all know the pleasure which it gives 
us when we see the clear-cut new crescent of the 
moon, and especially with many if they could see it 
over'their right shoulder." But God doubtless has 
reasons for this requirement which he has not fully 
revealed to us. Hence with blowing of trumpets, 
with the suspension of business, and the offering of 
sacrifices, this event was sure to be observed. 
There comes to us here, also, the re-enactment of 
the law relating to the passover. Ver. 16. There 
can be no doubt that this law had not been ob- 
served during the thirty-eight years of their wilder- 
ness life and sojournings. But now it is proclaimed 



THE LA W OF SACRIFICE. 225 

anew, and several particulars are added to the law 
as first announced in Exod. xii, 16. The first and 
last of the seven days were to be sanctified as Sab- 
baths by a holy rest and a holy convocation ; and 
besides this during the seven days their sacrifices 
were to be multiplied in token of their gratitude 
for their deliverance. In I Cor. v, 7 Christ is called 
u our passover ; " and in connection with him we are 
called upon to " keep the feast, not with old leaven, 
neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; 
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and 
truth." 

There is also here proclaimed the feast of Pente- 
cost. To the Christian Church this is a memorable 
day. The day on which the Spirit of the Lord de- 
scended, according to the promise of our heaven- 
ascended Lord, and three thousand souls were con- 
verted to Christ. These were the first-fruits of the 
Christian Church offered to the Lord on the first 
day of its formal inauguration. And it is in this 
way that the Old and New Testaments and cove- 
nants fit into each other, are dove-tailed together, 
so that it would be impossible for us to understand 
the one without the other. Who could understand 
Christianity without the feasts of passover and 
Pentecost? Who could fully understand Christ's 
sacrifice without the great law of sacrifices con- 
tained in this chapter, and in the books of Moses? 
But here is a perfect interlocking of symbol and 
reality, type and antitype, form and power, shadow 

and salvation. And in this way we are ever reading 
15 



226 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

the one with the other, and explaining the one by 
the other. And so we find so much of the Gospel 
foreshadowed in this book, which already we have 
been able to find. There is yet more to follow. 

There is nothing which the Church needs now so 
much as more Pentecosts. They are the sources of 
its glory, its power, and its successes. There can 
be nothing done efficiently without them ; with 
them the world will soon be ablaze with light and 
aflame with glory. 

" Lord God, the Holy Ghost ! 

In this accepted hour, 
As on the day of Pentecost, 

Descend in all thy power." 



THE BLOWING OF THE SILVER TRUM- 
PETS. 



Chapter xxix, Verse I. — This seventh month 
was the period, above all others, for religious ob- 
servances and solemnities. This was so for two 
reasons : It was the first month of Israel's deliver- 
ance from Egypt ; it was the period between the 
harvest and seed-time, when they had the most 
leisure to attend upon religious services. This 
blowing of trumpets mentioned here occurred at 
every new moon ; but this first day of the seventh 
month was emphatically the day for the blowing of 
trumpets, which, according to Jewish writers, was 
continued from sunrise to sunset. "The word 
trumpets is not expressed either in Lev. xxiii, 24 
or in this place ; and in Psa. lxxxi, 3, which is used 
in the feast of trumpets in the modern Jewish serv- 
ices, the word used is shophar, a word which is 
interchanged with keren (" the cornet, or ram's 
horn ") ; not hazozerah, the straight silver trumpet 
mentioned in chap, x, 2. The word teruah, which is 
here rendered " blowing the trumpets," is coupled 
with shophar in Lev. xxv, 9, " the trumpet of loud 
clang, or joyful sound." * 

This is a beautiful emblem of the trumpet of the 
* Ellicott. 227 



228 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

Gospel : " Blessed is the people that know the joy- 
ful sound." It is the sound of mercy to the nations, 
to all who are in bondage for their sins, or disinher- 
ited on account of them ; it is to all ransomed sin- 
ners, that they may hear the joyful news of heaven- 
ly grace. This gospel trumpet has been sounding 
among the nations for many centuries, reverberat- 
ing through all the hills and valleys, bursting with 
joy over land and sea. And never did it sound so 
far and so wide as it does now ; never did such 
multitudes hear it. And so it will continue to 
sound until the world is filled with its heavenly mu- 
sic. Here are presented two occasions for the use 
of those trumpets : first, there was a period for the 
afflicting of their souls, and second, in the feast of 
holy joy in the tabernacle. 

The feast of atonement has been observed by the 
Jews in all ages ; and although no sacrifices are now 
offered, still all over the world this period is ob- 
served. All business is suspended, and at least an 
outward mourning is apparent. It is always solem- 
nizing in its effects, when this day occurs, to see 
stores and factories in all our large cities closed, and 
a solemn awe worn upon the countenances of all the 
Jewish people. These multiplied offerings all point 
to Christ ; all tell of the one great sacrifice which 
he offered on Calvary for the sins of the world. 

Verses 12-40.— On the fifteenth day of this month 
another holy convocation was held. Then seventy 
oxen were sacrificed during the seven days of the 
feast, two rams and fourteen lambs were offered 



THE BLOWING OF THE SILVER TRUMPETS. 229 

daily as burnt-offerings, and a he-goat as a sin-offer- 
ing. This large number was offered from the con- 
sideration that at this feast the people evinced their 
gratitude, not only for the divine favor and protec- 
tion, but also for the rich fruits of the harvest so 
recently gathered. It was on this day, the last day 
of the feast, that Jesus, the great Saviour, the great 
Sacrifice for sins, stood and cried to the weary, 
thirsting ones around him, " If any man thirst, let 
him come unto me, and drink." And not only did 
he proclaim his great sufficiency, but also that of the 
Spirit which should come forth after his glorifica- 
tion. " He that believeth on me, as the Scripture 
hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living 
water." How wonderfully law and Gospel blend ! 
Here in this chapter we read of numerous sacrifices, 
with meat-offerings and drink-offerings, all pointing 
to Christ. But in the Gospel we read of only one 
Sacrifice, one Saviour, one Fountain of Blood to 
which all can come ; all can wash away their sins, 
and all can be saved. All may drink the living wa- 
ters and never thirst again. But in the Gospel as 
well as in the law the mourning comes before the 
rejoicing, and Sinai comes before Calvary." Days 
and nights of weeping always come before days of 
delight and joy. " They that sow in tears shall 
reap in joy." 4< Weeping may endure for a night ; 
but joy cometh in the morning." " Blessed are 
they that mourn ; for they shall be comforted." 



vows. 



Chapter xxx, Verses 1-16. — To vow means to 
give, dedicate, or consecrate to God by solemn 
promise. Such vows are frequently made. There 
are two kinds of vow spoken of in verse 2 ; namely, 
the neder, which denotes, primarily, a positive vow, 
or a vow of performance, and the issar, which 
denotes a negative vow, or a vow of abstinence. 
In all ages, among all people, and in all relig- 
ions, such vows have been uttered, at times with 
solemnity, and in other instances thoughtlessly 
and recklessly. Religious vows are more common 
than others ; and yet men and women will vow on 
very small occasions and for very small purposes. 
Very many are often entirely indifferent as to the 
performance of their vows. We oftener read of 
vows in the Old Testament than in the New. 
Jacob, when he went to Mesopotamia, vowed 
to God the tenth of his estate, and promised to 
offer it at Bethel to the honor and service of God. 
Gen. xxviii, 20-22. The mother of Samuel vowed 
that he should be consecrated to God, and then be 
offered up to serve in the tabernacle. When these 
vows were made under the law, it was enjoined that 
they should be strictly and faithfully observed. 

Hence Moses says : " When thou shalt vow a vow 
230 



VO IV S. 231 

unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay 
it : for the Lord thy God will surely require it of 
thee; and it would be sin in thee." Again he says: 
" If thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin 
in thee." Deut. xxiii, 21, 22. It was to be distinctly 
understood that the man or the woman, when they 
vowed, did so voluntarily, They were under no 
obligations to make the vow ; but when it was once 
made they must surely keep it. And yet there 
were limitations even to this. The children of Is- 
rael had been in the weary desert for a long time ; 
but now they were coming into Canaan. The 
change would be very great. They had been in a 
desert of want, weariness, and woe ; now they were 
coming into a land of corn and wine and oil, and 
favored with every blessing. Under these circum- 
stances they might be inclined freely and fully to 
express their gratitude to God by frequent, and per- 
haps sometimes by impracticable, vows. The Lord 
therefore condescends to show them his will con- 
cerning this matter. Hence he says, in verse 2, 
" He shall not break his word, he shall do accord- 
ing to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." This 
teaches the sacredness and binding character of the 
vow. So the wise man ays : " When thou vow- 
est a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he 
hath no pleasure in fools : pay that which thou 
hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not 
vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." 
Eccl. v, 4, 5. 

There are presented to us here four exceptions to 



232 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

this general law: (i) A woman still in her father's 
house and still unmarried ; (2) a woman who when 
making the vow is unmarried, but who marries be- 
fore the vow is performed ; (3) a widow or divorced 
person must surely keep her vows; (4) the vow of 
a married woman. Now, if when the father heard 
the vow of his daughter he remained silent, the 
vow would be confirmed, for at the time he had the 
power to disannul it. But in that event the Lord 
would forgive the daughter, and she would not be 
held responsible for its performance. The case of a 
woman who is married while under a vow : if the 
husband chosen heard her vow and held his peace 
then the bond stood, and her vow must be per- 
formed. So in the case of a married woman, if her 
husband disallowed the vow when she made it her 
vow was not to stand ; her husband has made it 
void, and the Lord shall forgive her. So the Lord 
clearly recognizes the relation of the father and the 
husband. God would not interfere in such matters 
with these family relations. Both the father and 
the husband, then, had the power to nullify a vow. 
In the gospel dispensation all Christians vow to 
be the Lord's. In the baptismal covenant the 
most solemn vows are taken. What a pity that so 
many seem to forget them! Then there are many 
who will make vows to abstain from sin, or to meas- 
ure up to duty, or privilege, or to give toward cer- 
tain benevolences, or to assume certain responsibili- 
ties. When such vows are voluntarily made they 
cannot be disannulled without occasioning the dis- 



VO WS. > 233 

pleasure of God, unless, in the developments of the 
future, or by losses in business, or by changes, there 
comes an absolute inability to perform the promise 
made. We often sing, when uttering our vows of 
consecration, 

" High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow, 

That vow renewed shall daily hear, 
Till in life's latest hour I bow 

And bless in death a bond so dear." 

But no one should take upon himself such a vow 
unless in making it he has exercised the greatest 
thoughtfulness and care ; and when it is made, it 
should be done with the utmost solemnity and hu- 
mility. It should be written upon the soul as with 
a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, and 
never be forgotten. O how many such vows have 
been broken ! How much we need forgiveness at 
the hand of our heavenly Father for these broken 
vows ! Lord, have mercy upon us ! 



ISRAEL'S VICTORY-THE MIDIANITES 
DESTROYED. 



Chapter xxxi, Verses 1-8.— The justice of God 
is absolute and equal. He had punished his own 
people severely for sinning against him, through 
the temptations of the women of Midian. Now he 
punishes their tempters and deceivers. His hand 
smites sins unrepented of, both among his own peo- 
ple and among his enemies. It is probable, if they 
had surrendered to his people the men and the 
women who had been guilty of the idolatry and adul- 
tery, most probably at the suggestion of Balaam, that 
they would have been satisfied, and the Lord's anger 
might have been turned away from them. But this 
they failed to do, as Benjamin did in the after years, 
and so there was nothing left for them but to slay 
and destroy them. It has been supposed, further, 
that as Midian was descended from Abraham, they 
had more light than the surrounding peoples, knew 
more of God and of their obligations to him than the 
Moabites, and so were more responsible in his sight. 
However this may be, we know that God does all 
things right ; he never makes any mistakes. Sup- 
pose that there were no Bible, and no moral law, 
and that under such conditions a record had been 

made of these transactions, would it have been in 
234 



THE MIDIANITES DESTRO YED. 235 

the facts mentioned as it is now? Have not other 
nations which have not recognized God commit- 
ted greater offenses? The guilt of Midian was 
great. They had enticed Israel away from the liv- 
ing and true God, and had buried its people in a 
festering mass of lasciviousness, offensive to High 
Heaven, and certainly they deserved the severest 
punishment. And such punishment was meted out 
to them. We are not, however, to understand that 
all the Midianites were slain ; it was only those with 
whom they warred and with whom they had come 
in contact. Some persons may find especial fault 
with the slaughter of their women. But they were 
the occasion of the whole trouble ; they were the 
ones who had done the mischief, and who, had they 
been spared, would have been likely to add iniquity 
to sin. Hence the command was to slay all these 
women. The law commanded that both the adul- 
terer and adulteress should be slain. The adulter- 
ers had been slain in Israel ; now the adulteresses 
were slain in Midian. 

Many have wondered why the name of Joshua is 
not mentioned in this part of the history. Perhaps 
the complete history is not known ; but the follow- 
ing considerations have been presented : Phinehas 
was the one who had slain the guilty Israelite and 
his Midianitish paramour, and it seemed proper 
that he should have great prominence in the de- 
struction of these enemies of the Lord. Then there 
were only a thousand selected from each tribe, and 
probably they each selected their own leader and 



236 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

fought under the direction of Phinehas, as he re- 
ceived counsel from the Lord. He took with him 
the holy instruments, perhaps the Urim and Thum- 
mim, and the silver trumpets ; although not yet the 
high-priest, yet this honor was conferred upon him. 
Having been faithful to his God, he is now rewarded 
in this distinguished manner. 

Another matter of interest here is, that Moses 
was now doing his last work. This was the last 
battle which occurred under his administration ; 
after this he was to lay down his long-worn hon- 
ors, and to enter into the heavenly Canaan, where 
he would be forever at rest. From this work he 
would go to his account, and from it he would go 
to his rest ; and so he would be especially anxious 
to do every thing according to the divine command. 
In like manner there comes to all the soldiers of 
the Lord, in all dispensations, a cessation of labor 
and toil. It cannot be far away from the devoted 
child of God and the earnest laborer in his service. 
How important that we should be doing our work 
well, so that we may glorify God and finish the 
work of life which he has given us to do. 

Verse 8. — This chapter, so full of thrilling inci- 
dents, records also the death of Balaam. This lover 
of " the wages of unrighteousness," whose iniquity 
was rebuked by the poor dumb ass speaking with 
man's voice, was met on the field of battle and slain. 
At one period he seemed imploringly desirous that 
he might die the death of the righteous ; but he is 
now slain in his unpardoned guilt with the wicked, 



h 



THE MIDIANITES DESTROYED. 237 

meeting at the last most justly what was his due. 
His iniquity was great ; his wiles were those of the 
Midianites, and his sin greater than their own. 
Some think, also, that his accurate knowledge of 
Israel, and his general knowledge of Israel's God, 
made him more guilty than they were. There are 
not a few who think that the words in the proph- 
et Mic. vi, 8 are addressed by Balaam to Balak : 
" He hath showed thee, O man, what is good ; and 
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do just- 
ly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy 
God ? " His prophecies certainly were of a high 
character, and uttered in most beautiful words. 
But his ambition, his love of money, his desire for 
honor and preferment overcame him, and he sank 
so far as to be a warning to all the ages of the 
future; and in the end he fell by the sword of Is- 
rael. God's enemies of every age and place, who 
have plotted against his people, shall also perish. 

But not only was Amalek destroyed, but also all 
his cities. These cities had been intensely idola- 
trous, and their idolatry was of the most unblush- 
ing and lascivious character. They were smirched 
all over with lust. As the Midianites were a no- 
madic people it is probable that they did not build 
the cities in which they dwelt ; they had been con- 
quered by them, and they and their lords dwelt in 
them. In like manner Christ has said, " Every 
plant which my heavenly Father has not planted 
shall be rooted up." All cities, palaces, and cas- 
tles where sin has reigned must be consumed. 



238 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

God's vengeance moves slowly, but it moves surely ; 
and sooner or later it will come forth in fearful 
forms. This is equally true in this Christian dis- 
pensation. When God draws blood he knows well 
which vein to strike. 

Verses 12-25. — We cannot forbear noticing the 
manner in which the victorious troops were received. 
Moses in his advanced age and his nearness to eter- 
nity, and " pleazar, the priest, and all the princes 
of the congregation, went forth to meet them with- 
out the camp." How solemn, and yet how grand 
was this reception ! It is true that Moses was 
wroth ; the triumphant army had not done all the 
work which it had been commanded to do ; but, 
after all, they had achieved a great victory, and glo- 
rious results were" to outflow from it. How won- 
derful it is that the Master will say to any one in 
the last day, when he comes forth with all his holy 
angels to welcome his redeemed ones, " Well done, 
good and faithful servant ; . . . enter thou into the 
joy of thy Lord." There are so many things which 
have been done by us that we should not have 
done, and so many things left unperformed which 
we should have done, that it will be a wonder of 
wonders to every redeemed soul to be thus ad- 
dressed by his divine Lord. But so it will be. 
Blessed be his holy name forever ! 

Verses 32-48. — Great was their booty, and large- 
ly were they enriched by the prey of their enemies. 
The whole booty consisted of 32,000 maidens, 
675,000 small cattle, 72,000 oxen, 61,000 asses. 



THE MIDIANITES DESTROYED. 239 

The heave-offering which belonged to the Lord 
was one five hundredth part of the maidens and 
the cattle which had fallen to their share. And 
after this there fell to their share 1 6,000 maidens, 
337,500 sheep and goats, 36,000 oxen, 30,500 asses. 
Of these the priests had 32 maidens, 675 sheep and 
goats, 72 oxen, 61 asses ; and the Levites had 320 
maidens, 6,750 sheep and goats, 720 oxen, and 610 
asses. And yet, after all their victories and spoils, 
they had not lost a single man. How wonderfully 
God can preserve his people ! Only twelve thou- 
sand men, and yet not one slain ! Was there ever 
such a battle? How true it is that while we are in 
the Lord's hands we are just as safe as if we were 
in heaven ! 

Verses 48-54.— We make only one more notice 
of this victory, and that is to record their sense of 
gratitude. When they returned after the battle, 
and the muster-roll was called, and they found that 
not one of their number was lost or missing, their 
gratitude to their Deliverer was great and demanded 
expression. They not only wanted to express this 
with their lips, but also with their gifts. The plun- 
der, as we have seen, was very large, and from that 
they now wished to offer a special oblation to the 
Lord. So they offered of the gold sixteen thousand 
seven hundred and fifty shekels which they had 
taken from the captains and from those who were 
slain. This accords well with the statements of his- 
torians and travelers of the well-known habits of 
the women of heathen tribes. The peculiar affec- 



240 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

tion of the Midianites for such ornamentation is 
further shown in the account which is contained in 
Judg. viii, 26 of the weight of the, golden ear-rings 
which were given to Gideon after his victory over 
that nation.* We should also always show our 
gratitude to our heavenly Father for signal deliver- 
ances wrought out for us. Truly, they are many, 
and they are very great and often very marked. 
How should we, in our contributions, our prayers 
and praises, our testimonies and consecrations, 
evince our hearty thanksgivings ! God is always 
well pleased with such gifts as recognize our de- 
pendence upon him and our sense of obligation to 
him. The day of our return from the field of bat- 
tle is near, and not one of the Lord's true followers 
will ever be found to have perished. O what re- 
joicing and thanksgiving will then swell up from the 
hearts and harps of the redeemed ones ! For ever 
and ever will we praise thee, O Lord, for thy match- 
less mercy and thy keeping power ! Amen ! 

* Ellicott. 



RESTING THIS SIDE OF THE JORDAN. 



Chapter xxxii, Verses 1-5.— The land on the 
east side of the Jordan, which was now conquered, 
was a fertile and beautiful country. Jazer was re- 
markable for its rich and abundant pastures, and 
so was the land of Gilead. Even now amid its 
desolations it shows clearly how rich and fertile it 
was. It lay north and south of the brook Jabbok, 
and is often spoken of in the word of God. It was 
this beautiful region which was shown to Moses be- 
fore he closed his eyes upon earthly scenes and 
awoke among the blessed. It was this land which 
was promised to Jephthah if he would become the 
leader of its people. And here Abner set up Ishbo- 
sheth as king after the death of Saul. It was here 
that, when rebellion raged against the house of 
David, Absalom and Israel fought the battle which 
resulted in his complete discomfiture and in the 
triumph of Israel. It was the birthplace of Elijah 
the Tishbite. The bride of the Lamb is repre- 
sented as having her locks as a flock of goats from 
Gilead. It was also famous for its balm. Hence 
the question of the prophet Jeremiah : " Is there 
no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? 
why then is not the health of the daughter of my 

people recovered ? " 

16 241 



242 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

It was no wonder, therefore, that Reuben and 
Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh were so attracted 
by its loveliness and beauty and its seeming adapta- 
tion to the wants of their tribes. There was also 
much of selfishness and covetousness manifested in 
their request. We think it is evident that, at first, 
they had no idea of going over the Jordan. They 
did not, indeed, want to go over. Therefore they 
said, " Bring us not over Jordan." It was only the 
very severe rebuff which their application received 
from Moses which wakened them out of their wild 
dream, so that after they had consulted together 
they promised to go over before their brethren, 
ready armed, and not to return until they saw them 
safely settled in Canaan. 

How clearly does this illustrate the spiritual con- 
dition of many persons in the Christian Church at 
the present day! They are unwilling to go over 
Jordan to the promised land of perfect love. They 
want to remain and rest on this side. We are 
never to forget that the Jordan represents primarily 
the dividing line between the fullness of the Chris- 
tian life and the worldly minded, unbelieving, and 
disobedient part of God's people, or those who are 
professedly such. And Canaan is emblematical, 
not of heaven, but of perfect love and fullness of life 
in Christ Jesus. How true it is that a large part 
of the Church desires to remain away from its priv- 
ileges, is satisfied with worldly conditions and pros- 
pects, is contented to remain in a low state of relig- 
ious fervor and life, if, indeed, it has any of that 



RESTING THIS SIDE OF THE JORDAN. 243 

religious life at all. But, however rich Jazer and 
Gilead were, the land over the Jordan was richer 
still and more highly favored. Is it not wonderful, 
then, that with such a land before them, rising up 
in brightness and beauty before their eyes, 

" A land of corn and wine and oil."' 

so few appreciate their privilege, or march up to 
its possession and enjoyment. They prefer the 
" lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride 
of life," to the richer, broader, purer joys which 
Christ gives to the fully saved soul. What a full- 
ness many would enjoy if they would only measure 
up to their privilege ! But Satan and the world 
blind their eyes, and they stop short of their inher- 
itance. The apostle, in his letter to the Hebrews, 
clearly says that their non-entrance into Canaan 
was the result of unbelief. If this were so with 
Israel, surely it is so with multitudes of persons in 
the Christian Church, both in her ministry and in 
her membership. It must be said that they enter 
not into this spiritual Canaan because of unbelief. 
They prefer earthly things to Christ, and worldly 
pleasures to the abounding joys of full salvation. 
In this way they voluntarily separate themselves by 
the broad line of a Jordan from the more highly 
favored, the more abundantly secure, and more 
richly experienced child of God, and the rich ordi- 
nances of his Church, for the sake of ministering to 
their own pleasures and sensual gratifications. Nor 
did they consider their danger. The tribes of Reu- 



244 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOH OF NUMBERS. 

ben and Gad and Manasseh were among the first 
which in future ages were taken captive by the king 
of Assyria. I Chron. v, 26. O how easily when dan- 
ger' comes are such persons captured by their foes! 
The tempter and the destroyer have a double 
power over them, and they are in a condition of 
utter defenselessness. In this condition how many- 
fall ! Would it be saying too much to add, how 
many perish ! 

We trust that the day is not far distant when the 
whole Church will say : 

" O that we might at once go up, 
No more on this side Jordan stop, 

But now the land possess ; 
This moment end our legal years, 
Sorrows and sins and doubts and fears, 

A howling wilderness." 

We should " fear, lest, a promise being left us of 
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to 
come short of it." How beautiful it is to see, right 
here in the midst of this selfish and unbelieving 
people, a recognition of the men who " wholly 
followed the Lord." Faithful Caleb and Joshua 
will never be forgotten. Their names stand forth 
illustrious as stars of the first magnitude, because 
they believed God's promise, and said, " We are 
fully able to go up and possess the land." O for 
more Calebs and Joshuas at the present day, who 
will take God at his word, and who will be reckoned 
among the immortals ! It is astonishing to see with 
what persistency they cling to the thought. 



RESTING THIS SIDE OF THE JORDAN. 245 

Verse 19. — " We will not inherit with them on 
yonder side Jordan, or forward ; because our inher- 
itance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward." 
They voluntarily give up all claim to any place on 
the west side if they only can remain on the east. 
And so, when their petition was granted, they went 
to work rebuilding or repairing the cities which 
had been wasted. They certainly had no time for 
rebuilding those cities now. They only wanted to 
make them tenantable for themselves and their 
families and their flocks. " It was at Dibon, one of 
the cities now repaired, that the Moabite stone was 
discovered by Mr. Klein in 1868."* Here these 
two tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh settled 
down for the space of about seven hundred years ; 
from 1452 B. C. to 721 B. C. Then they with the 
other tribes of Israel were carried away into cap- 
tivity, and they have never been distinguished as 
separate tribes since that date. Will they ever be 
known again ? 

* Ellicott. 



THAT ZIGZAG JOURNEY. 



Chapter xxxiii, Verses 1-50. — It would seem 
that the Lord had commanded Moses to keep an 
account of the journeys of the peoples, a sort of 
diary, recording each station on the way. These 
journeys were not so long; but what principally 
characterized them was their crookedness, their zig- 
zag course. They might have reached Canaan in a 
brief time had they fully believed and obeyed the 
Lord ; but unbelief and disobedience made their 
journeys through the wilderness long and tedious. 
In three short months they could easily have 
reached Canaan from Egypt, with all their flocks 
and herds and all that they possessed ; but they 
were forty long years in their journeys thitherward. 
Nor did they dwell very long in one place. The 
pillar of cloud and of fire was ever directing them 
to a change in the place of their encampment. Per- 
haps they made only an average stay of about a 
year in one place ; and this was all the rest they 
were permitted to have. How truly do these facts 
illustrate the Christian's character and course ! 
How many after their conversion never seem to 
push on or to march right forward into Canaan ! In 
many instances they begin at once to decline, or if 

thev move at all in a forward direction it is by cir- 
246 



THA T ZIGZA G JO URNE Y. 247 

cuitous, irregular, and inconstant ways. Look for 
a moment at a map of these journeys, and you will 
not doubt the heading of this chapter. See the 
course which they pursued. We smile at their 
irregularity ; and yet, let us look at our own course. 
If we do so, we shall see clearly how wondrously 
exact are these illustrations of our spiritual career 
and journeyings. Take up your journal, the diary 
of your Christian life, and mark its frequent change 
in tone and in experience. Another thought must 
be mentioned here. All these years were spent in 
the desert. And yet that desert life was not en- 
tirely spent without God's presence and his watch- 
ful care. Still they had " the pillar of cloud by day 
and the pillar of fire by night ;" still they had the 
manna wherever they went, and the waters of the 
smitten rock followed them in all their journeys. 
But, after all, this was not Canaan ; this was not 
their rest. 

It is even so in the life of God's people under the 
gospel dispensation. While many do not move for- 
ward, do not seem to grow in grace or advance in 
holiness, yet they are not what they once were. 
They now enjoy communion with saints, occasional 
manifestations of the divine favor, and visitations of 
divine grace ; and they are still, as they say and as 
they hope, on their way to heaven. But how often 
they complain of their " crooked ways," their irreg- 
ular steps, and their backslidings from the Lord ! " 
And how many griefs and sorrows and tears are 
theirs oftentimes because of their wanderings ! 



248 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

It is well for us to survey this course of Israel. 
There were many sad occasions through which they 
passed, as at Kibroth Hattaavah, the graves of lust. 
What a history was connected with this locality ! 
Shittim is the place where they sinned in the mat- 
ter of Peor. Abel, which signifies mourning, was 
the place where they mourned. Rephidim is the 
place where they wanted water, " and there was no 
water for the people to drink." Mt. Hor, where 
Aaron, the priest of the Lord, went up at the com- 
mandment of the Lord, and died there, in the for- 
tieth year after they came out from the land of 
Egypt, and in the one hundred and twenty-third 
year of his age. 

But, after all, there were pleasant and beautiful 
places. There were the waters of Elim and its palm- 
trees. They had come directly from the bitter wa- 
ters of Marah, sweetened by the providence of God, 
to Elim, where were twelve fountains of sweet wa- 
ter ; and they pitched there. 

" The hills about Elim are several hundred feet 
high. The oasis seems charming to one after hav- 
ing traveled over the dead desert for several years. 
Groves of palm-trees, acacia, juniper, tamarisk, and 
colocynth abound ; and among the hills is one liv- 
ing, bubbling spring from which we drank and took 
a fresh supply of sweet water. Elim is a lovely 
spot, the clear waters and shade-giving palms of 
which delight the traveler. There is another Elim, 
but it is only a damp spot, scarcely worth mention- 
ing ; while this is an extensive oasis, and has a tiny 



THA T ZIGZA G JO URNE Y. 249 

stream running through it out into the wady and 
thence to the sea. Our unanimous vote was accord- 
ing to the traditions, in believing that all the honors 
of the Elim belonged to the last-mentioned oasis." * 
Yes, even in the midst of all the dark and troubled 
wilderness, the camp by Elim could never be for- 
gotten. These twelve fountains of water are still 
bubbling up before the eye of the Church, and tell 
of God's care and Israel's comfort. So in our Chris- 
tian life, in the midst of sorrow and care, of trial 
and temptation we are often brought to places full 
of comfort and blessing, where our«joys abound and 
our souls are greatly refreshed. Will it not be 
wonderful, when we reach our heavenly home, to 
look back over our life-time here on the earth? 
How we shall be humbled before the throne at the 
crookedness, the missteps of our way ; and how we 
shall rejoice at the mercy of the Lord, which brought 
us on through all, bore with us through all, was un- 
willing that we should perish, and finally enabled us 
to reach the heavenly city. And when we shall see 
further, how he cared for us all the while, how he 
prevented our ruin, how he kept us when we were 
just on the point to die, new songs will burst from 
our ransomed souls, new joys will thrill them for 
ever and ever. 

Perhaps we should refer here to the apparent dif- 
ferences in the account with those mentioned in 
Exodus and Deuteronomy. For instance, there is 
no mention in Exodus of the station at the Red 
* Edward Wilson, The Century, July, 1888. 



250 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

Sea, and of the stations at Dophkah and Alush. 
Vers. 12, 13. Ellicott thinks that Rithmah (ver. 18) 
is the same place as Kadesh, for the following rea- 
sons: "The Wady Retemat is not far distant from 
Kadesh, and, according to Robinson, it abounds 
with the Retem, or broom, and near it there is a 
copious stream of water called Ain el Kudeirat ; it 
seems reasonable to infer that this encampment is 
the same." And he says further, " If this be so, it 
is reasonable to conclude that the seventeen places 
of encampment, in verses 19-36, between Rithmah 
and Kadesh, are those at which the Israelites pitched 
their camps during the thirty-eight years of their 
wandering in the wilderness." Other differences 
are also presented; for instance, verse 45, " From 
Iim, or Ije-Abarim to Dibon Gad." In chapter 
xxi, 1 1-20, seven places are named, but here are 
only three, and the names are different. But in all 
these differences it must be borne in mind that 
Israel was a great people, nearly three millions in 
number, and they, consequently, occupied a vast 
territory, covering different localities, with different 
names, some of which have now perished. 

While, however, these small and only seemingly 
apparent discrepancies exist as to their encamp- 
ment, there is no misunderstanding as to the re- 
quirements of God upon them, in the destruction 
of " all their pictures, . . . their molten images, and 
. . . all high places." Had they only obeyed these 
divine commands how much they would have been 
saved from ! But they did not do it, and what evils 



THA T ZIGZA G JO URNE Y. 251 

came upon them ! Nor were they left without warn- 
ing in this matter ; for the Lord assured them that 
unless they did this, the people would be as " pricks 
in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall 
vex you in the land wherein ye dwell." Not only 
so ; they were assured that the same punishments 
which were to be inflicted upon the Canaanites 
would come upon them. Ver. 56. How fearfully 
they realized all these things in their future history ! 
And is it not so with those who hold on to any of 
the ways of sin and iniquity? What suffering 
many have thus endured ! What reason have we 
to cry — 

" O may I still from sin depart ; 
A wise and understanding heart, 

Jesus, to me be given : 
And let me through thy Spirit know 
To glorify my God below, 

And find my way to heaven." 



THE DIVISION OF THE INHERITANCE. 



Chapter xxxiv, Verses 1-15. — The long journey 
through the wilderness is now almost over, and the 
land of Canaan begins to rise up in beauty before 
the eyes of the children of Israel. Already arrange- 
ments are being made for the partitioning of this 
inheritance, which is not large, but which is very 
lovely. For it was a goodly land; a land flowing 
with milk and honey ; a land of amazing product- 
iveness and fruitfulness. There every tribe and 
every person was assured of some portion, except- 
ing the portions already awarded on the east side 
of the Jordan to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe 
of Manasseh. The boundaries of this line were 
clearly fixed, and they were only to strive for this 
land. No aggressive wars were to be made upon 
surrounding nations beyond the confines of this 
land. Ultimately, their borders might extend to 
the great river Euphrates ; but the boundaries here- 
in described only encompassed the land of Canaan. 
Only here were they to engage in war ; only here 
were their victories to be enjoyed. 

These nations or tribes in this land were over- 
grown in wickedness and corruption, and they must 
be destroyed. It looked, indeed, like a very small 

inheritance for so many people ; but, after all, it 
252 



THE DIVISION OF THE INHERITANCE. 253 

was all-sufficient for them. It was only about one 
hundred and twenty miles long and forty miles 
broad for nine tribes and the half of a tribe of peo- 
ple to find a home in. Even when their population 
grew to five or six millions of souls, while they were 
faithful to God they knew no famine, they felt no 
want. But it was in this little land for ages where 
the true God only was known, and where his wor- 
ship was enjoyed. It was the Lord's vineyard, 
fenced in and guarded and protected by his pres- 
ence and power. Surrounded by desert and sea, 
hidden away as it were, geographically, in the very 
heart or center of this world, it was promised to 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and ultimately given to 
their descendants forever. The eyes of the Lord 
have always been upon it, and it has been, in fact, 
preserved almost entirely for the future abode of 
his people. 

A few explanations of these boundaries may be 
necessary. Southward from the southern point of 
the Dead Sea, as far as the height of Akrabbim, is 
a row of white cliffs which run obliquely across the 
Arabah, at a distance of about eight miles from 
the Dead Sea. Kadesh Barnea was at the western 
extremity of the desert of Zin. Southerly the 
boundary line ran along the valleys, which form a 
natural division between the cultivated land and 
the desert, from the Arabah on the east to the 
Mediterranean on the west, forming the western 
boundary until it reached the sea. Northerly, Mt. 
Hor; some say Mt. Hermon, but this is too far 



254 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

eastward. Von Raumer thinks it was probably one 
of the peaks belonging to the Lebanon range, and 
discernible from Sidon.* Easterly, it was from 
Hazar-enan to Shephan, and from Shephan to Rib- 
Ian, on the east side of Ain. This Ain, a fountain, 
is supposed to refer to the great fountain of Neba- 
Anjar, at the foot of Anti-Libanus. The Sea of 
Chinnereth was the name of a district or city, as 
well as of the Lake of Galilee. In later times the 
city was called Genusa, or Gennesaret, as in the 
gospels. Luke v, I. Look now, for a moment, at 
these borders. 

There was the River of Egypt, and this would 
ever remind them of their cruel bondage in that 
land. Another border was the Salt, or Dead Sea, 
an everlasting remembrance of the fire-storm which 
swept over the devoted cities of the plain, causing 
them to sink to fathomless depths, and so impreg- 
nating its waters with bitumen that it could scarcely 
be stirred by any wind or bear any vessels, or be re- 
plenished with fishes, or have any living creature 
come near it. Thus they were warned against the 
sins which caused this great calamity. Then there 
was the Wilderness of Sin, hugging them in closely 
on their southern border. And, finally, the great 
sea, the Mediterranean, the only seeming outlet to 
the great world beyond which was given to this 
land. It was an outlet through which all the world 
could be reached. 

Verses 16-29. — The land thus mapped out was 

* Ellicott. 



THE DIVISION OF THE INHERITANCE. 255 

to be divided by a commission chosen by the Lord. 
It was to consist of Joshua and Eleazar and ten other 
men, one from each tribe, that the land might be care- 
fully and honestly divided. Of all the names men- 
tioned only Caleb and Joshua were known before ; 
the rest were all new men. Was not this designed to 
teach that our Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our 
Priest, would divide the heavenly Canaan for us? 
And so he will. There is a land promised to us of 
which Canaan is only the humble and limited type. 
That is a land of infinite beauty, delight, and joy. 
Where sin, and sickness, and death, and sorrow are 
never known ; where God himself dwells ; where 
Jesus is, and where the angels and glorified ones are 
forever! That land is ours by promise, by pur- 
chase ; by title it is ours. Jesus, our great Joshua, 
is preparing it for his people, and he will give it to 
them in the end of life's journey. Our lot in that 
land is fixed by us here. All who are pardoned and 
renewed, blood-washed and sanctified will have 
that inheritance. No such character will be neg- 
lected or kept out of its possession. Every one will 
stand in his own lot in that day. As the angel said 
to Daniel : " Go thou thy way until the end be : for 
thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of 
the days." " They that be wise shall shine as 
the brightness of the firmament ; and they that 
turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever 
and ever." They who have excelled in holiness and 
usefulness will also excel in brightness and glory. 
" One star differeth from another star in glory," 



256 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

but all will shine with exceeding brightness and 
luster. The very humblest place in heaven will in- 
finitely transcend all the glory of this world. If we 
may only reach that land and have our inheritance 
there any part will be blessed and glorious. But 
we may not only do this ; we may have " an entrance 
ministered to us abundantly into this everlasting 
kingdom ;" we may receive the welcome plaudit of 
our King, " Well done, good and faithful servant : 
. . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." We may 
sit down with Christ upon his throne, and be dia- 
demed with an immortal crown, and join forever in 
the everlasting songs and halleluias which are ever 
ringing there. Well may we say with Moses : " I 
pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land 
that is beyond Jordan ! " 

" There is the throne of David ; 

And there, from care released, 
The song of them that triumph, 

The shout of them that feast ; 
And they who, with their Leader, 

Have conquered in the fight, 
Forever and forever 

Are clad in robes of white." 



THE CITIES OF REFUGE SELECTED. 



Chapter xxxv, Verses 1-6. — It is a divine ordi- 
nation that they who " preach the gospel should 
live of the gospel ;" that he " that is taught in the 
word communicate unto him that teacheth in all 
good things." In no dispensation has God forgot- 
ten his priests and ministers. But to make provision 
for their support has been frequently overlooked by 
the people whom they have served. In the days of 
Nehemiah it was ascertained that the people had 
failed to do this. Neh. xiii, 10. It has ever been 
so ; it is so to-day. The people are apt to regard 
all such positive duties as voluntary charities, which 
they might do or not do, according to their tastes, 
wishes, or feelings. But this is a false and mistaken 
view of this matter. God demands of the people a 
support for their ministers ; and no one can neglect 
or disobey this command without realizing the 
divine displeasure. True, in some instances, Paul 
and others have worked with their own hands for 
their bread ; but this was extraordinary, and not 
meant, even according to their own acknowledg- 
ment, to be permanent. In these verses we see 
how nicely these Jewish priests were provided for. 
Cities were to be given them of the tribes of Israel. 

Large pasture-grounds for their cattle, and vine- 
17 257 



258 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, 

yards were allowed them, and these, too, on a large 
and liberal scale. Some idea of this may be gath- 
ered from J. D. Michaelis: " Four lines drawn at a 
distance of 1,000 cubits from the walls of the city 
were to be assigned to the Levites ; and the length 
of the city walls, supposing the city to be square, 
was to be added to the 2,000 cubits of the four 
boundary lines. The space included in the first 
1,000 cubits from the city walls was designed for 
cattle ; and the space included in the 2,000 cubits 
beyond the walls was designed for vineyards."* It 
was as follows : 





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THE CITIES OF REFUGE SELECTED. 259 

But, you will observe, there were no lands given 
them to till. Their time and labor and talent were 
all to be employed in the service of God and of his 
sanctuary. They had to learn the law thoroughly, 
to offer sacrifices, and to minister to the people. 

So it should always be. No minister of the Gos- 
pel can be, as we have before seen, at the same 
time a merchant, a farmer, a physician, or a lawyer. 
He must give all his time and attention to his legit- 
imate work which God has given him to do. Many 
who have professed to be called of God to his work 
have attempted to take a part of their time for sec- 
ular business — farming, lecturing, practicing medi- 
cine, or doing something else. But the Lord's dis- 
approval has ever been manifested against such 
persons. They have either lost every thing which 
they had, or have had leanness and barrenness in 
their ministry and a lack of success in saving souls. 
If a man is called of God to preach his Gospel, he 
should wash his hands clean of all secular affairs and 
consecrate himself thoroughly to this work. If he 
do this God will take care of him and his family; 
but if he violate this divine ordinance, the Lord will 
withdraw from him all such aid and leave him to 
himself. 

Verses 9-34. — The Cities of Refuge. These cities 
are beautiful types of Gospel provisions. They 
were to be Levitical cities. There were six of them, 
three on the east side of Jordan, and three on the 
west. Their purpose was to give the man who un- 
fortunately, innocently, and without " malice pre- 



260 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

pense " had killed another, a chance to save his life. 
The willful murderer must be slain. There was no 
hope for him. God's law is fixed and eternal upon 
this. He should be taken, even from God's altar, 
and slain. If he were not the land would be pol- 
luted with blood, and God's vengeance would be 
aroused against it. Many States, in our own and 
other lands, have labored to do away with the death 
penalty for murder; but in nearly every instance 
they have been glad to return to it for self-preser- 
vation. Imprisonment for life could be no substi- 
tute for the divine decree: "Whoso sheddeth 
man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed : for in 
the image of God made he man." Gen. ix, 6. But 
homicide is not infrequently justifiable, or it is com- 
mitted without design, or is the result of accident. 
Such cases demand and deserve special considera- 
tion. Of course, the act thus committed will be 
forever a source of misery to the one who has done 
it ; but no guilt is attached to him in the sight of 
God or of man. But neither law nor justice de- 
mands the death of such a man. And here, in these 
early days of Jewish history, this provision of the 
cities of refuge was made. It is, of course, gener- 
ally understood that the one who had the right to 
slay the murderer was the " goel," the nearest of 
kin, the redeemer of the one slain. This person 
was appointed to redeem the person or inheritance 
of a kinsman, if he was reduced to poverty so that 
he was obliged to sell himself into slavery or to sell 
his inheritance ; he was to marry the widow of his 



THE CITIES OF REFUGE SELECTED. 261 

deceased brother, if possible ; and also to avenge 
his blood in case he was slain. 

Now, then, as soon as the murder was committed 
the murderer, innocent of intended homicide ; or 
guilty of the same, was exposed to the vengeance of 
this "goel ; " and if he were found anywhere out of 
the cities of refuge he could at once slay him with- 
out any guilt being attached to him. Or, if the 
willful murderer should take refuge in the cities ap- 
pointed for this purpose, he must be taken from 
thence and slain ; the provision was only for the un- 
intentional and unfortunate slayer of man. Just as 
soon as possible, then, the murderer would start for 
one of these cities. It was not so far but that he 
could reach it. The farthest point was only thirty 
miles, and a swift runner could reach it in less than 
a single day ; so that, as a rule, the chances were in 
favor of his getting there before the avenger of 
blood would reach him. No doubt, however, that 
in many instances the race was a hotly contested 
one, and the man-slayer has doubtless often got 
into the city just " by the skin of his teeth." But 
when he reached the city he was safe — only, how- 
ever, on this condition : that he should remain in 
the city until the death of the high-priest. After 
his death, whether near or more remote, he might 
return to his tribe or city and dwell there without 
fear of harm. 

How much Gospel there is in all this! Before 
every guilty, lost, and ruined sinner there is a hope 
set — placed or fixed — and he can fly for refuge to 



262 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

it. Christ is our City of Refuge. He is our Re- 
deemer. He has redeemed the inheritances and 
the persons of his people by his sufferings and death, 
and he will one day redeem them from the power 
of death and the grave. He is within easy reach 
of every penitent and believing soul. The distance 
is not great for him to travel ; the day is not long. 
And just as the man-slayer was safe in these cities, 
so the soul that flees to Christ is safe in him. The 
law has no power over him ; Justice with his flaming 
sword can do him no harm. Who can injure or 
condemn him who is in Christ ? The sinner often 
cries out in his agony and the believer in his trial — 

"Jesus, Lover of my soul, 
Let me to thy bosom fly." 

But when he is in Christ he sings for deliverance 
and safety. So if he would continue to be secure, 
he must abide in him — his City of Refuge. The very 
moment the man-slayer put his foot outside the 
city he was in peril and danger ; the avenger might 
rush upon him and slay him with impunity. Only 
as long as he abode in the city was he safe. So the 
soul must abide in Christ. If he lose hold of him ; 
if he stray away from him, there is not only danger, 
but also death, 

No wonder that the Saviour urges us so con- 
stantly to abide in him ; " for without me ye can do 
nothing." " If he draw back it is toward perdi- 
tion." Another thought here is very precious. 
These cities of refuge are open for all. The stranger 



THE CITIES OF REFUGE SELECTED. 263 

as well as the Israelite could come with equal wel- 
come and be secure. So in Christ Jesus : Jew and 
Greek, barbarian and Scythian, bond and free are 
equally welcome. All are invited to come to him ; 
to flee unto him for refuge. He has made the pro- 
vision for all, and it is ample for all. How blessed 
is this ! Many poor sinners will say, " O there is 
no refuge for me ! others can find a place there, but 
there is no shelter for my poor head ; no refuge for 
me ! " Not so, my dying friend. If you will only 
come, there is a refuge, even for you. Guilty, 
wretched, ruined, lost you may be, a stranger and a 
foreigner ; but if you will come, you will be a stran- 
ger and foreigner no more, but a " fellow-citizen 
with the saints, and of the household of God." 

" Other refuge have I none ; 

Hangs my helpless soul on thee : 
Leave, O leave me not alone, 

Still support and comfort me : 
All my trust on thee is stayed, 

All my help from thee I bring; 
Cover my defenseless head 

With the shadow of thy wing." 



THE WOMAN QUESTION AGAIN. 



Chapter xxxvi, Verses 1-13.— We have now 
come to the last chapter of this most interesting 
book of Moses. And while this is the last it cer- 
tainly is not the least of these books. Woman in 
all the ages has had her rights ; not always acknowl- 
edged, not always regarded, but always existing, 
and always more or less fully recognized by the 
best and most civilized peoples on the globe. The 
petition of these daughters of Zelophehad was 
granted to them. They were to share equally with 
the fathers, brothers, and sons of Israel. But still 
there were natural and reasonable limitations to 
this grant. They were not to marry outside of 
their own tribe, lest their inheritance should be 
transferred to a neighboring tribe. So that while 
they were thus allowed their inheritance, they 
were not allowed to divert it or transfer it to an- 
other tribe. They were permitted to have their 
own property, and they were to have all the privi- 
leges and immunities under the law which any 
male person could have. 

In like manner, in the Church of Christ women 
should have their rights and privileges — to speak, 
to pray, to teach ; and if God calls any of their 

number to preach they should be permitted to 

264 



THE WOMAN QUESTION AGAIN. 265 

preach, as others have done, with power and effi- 
ciency. And yet they are to remember that they 
are not men, nor should they act as men. There 
is a modesty, a retiracy, a shrinking from the putv 
lic gaze which is ever in harmony with the female 
character. Thus, while called to duty, they should 
fearlessly perform it ; and yet they should never 
lose sight of the position in which God has placed 
them. The highest honor to woman is to be treated 
with kindness and courtesy in her family and house- 
hold relations ; is to be a faithful, devoted, and vir- 
tuous wife, and is to be a fond, loving, and careful 
mother and nurse for her children. If, in the provi- 
dence of God she is called to speak for him, or 
upon the rights or wrongs of humanity, let her do 
it with mingled meekness and boldness becoming 
her sex, and in the sweet spirit of her Lord and 
Master. But never let her assume control in Church 
or State, or aspire to positions unsuited for women, 
in politics or in Church government ; but, if called 
by the voice of Providence to these positions, let 
her never shrink even from them. We would have 
her accorded all her rights; but we would ever 
have her remember that there are limitations which 
she should carefully observe. 

The daughters of Zelophehad were presumptive 
heiresses. True, Canaan was not yet possessed ; 
not yet had their tribe received its allotment ; but 
yet they speak and act as if it were already in 
their hands, and of the whole matter as if it were 
une affaire accompli. Certainly they did this by 



266 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

faith ; for they believed all the words which the 
Lord had spoken. But as heiresses they may, prob- 
ably, have been regarded by the young men of 
other tribes, and their hands may have been sought 
in marriage by them. This would be only natural. 
It is natural and right to marry. But even mar- 
riage itself has its limitations. There were cer- 
tainly good men enough in their own tribe to marry, 
as they ultimately ascertained, and to them they 
must look. And so they did, and a marriage took 
place between each of them and their father's 
brother's sons; own cousins, it is true, but under 
the circumstances this was now allowed. Usually, 
however, marrying in such near relationship is not 
desirable, and it should ever be avoided. The phys- 
ical, and sometimes the moral, results of such mar- 
riages are not always pleasant ; and, indeed, often 
indicate that they are contrary to the will and the 
law of God. Many royal and more unroyal fam- 
ilies have either run out entirely, or have been scrof- 
ulous, effeminate, weak, and helpless, because of 
these intermarriages. In the Christian Church 
great care should be taken that marriage should 
be with believers. " Be not unequally yoked with 
unbelievers," is God's law. There is, there can be, 
no real concord between the believer and the non- 
believer. Very frequently such marriages, however 
hopeful in the beginning, are sad and serious in 
their consequences in the end. Young people, and 
young Christians, especially, cannot be too carefully 
guarded on these points. Let not any part of the 



THE WOMAN QUESTION AGAIN. 267 

Lord's inheritance be drawn over to the side of 
the world, or sin, or Satan ; but let it be left in- 
tact and unbroken. How blessed it is that we can 
take all of these things to the Lord ! Moses 
brought the case of the daughters of Zelophehad 
before the Lord. Chap, xxvii, 5. Certainly, in a 
matter of so much interest and solemnity, and in- 
volving such vast and continued consequences, 
divine wisdom, divine help and aid should be 
asked for and enjoyed. And if we ask him for his 
wisdom and guidance " he will not upbraid us." 
When Moses had sought counsel of the Lord in 
the matter, he graciously answered : These daugh- 
ters had not only done well, but they had also 
spoken well. Divine interposition was granted to 
them, and they were all well married. But how 
frequently parents arrange for the marriage of their 
children with men of wealth, with women of high 
social position ; and then urge their children even 
against their own will and against their own best 
judgment, and even their persistent disapproval, to 
enter into this sacred relation for the sake of money* 
or position, or honor, or notoriety. What could be 
expected but that such marriages would bring sor- 
row, discord, divorce, infidelity to the marital rela- 
tions, or an early grave ? If these relations are 
entered into in the fear of the Lord, and under his 
divine direction, what could occur but a happy and 
pleasant life, a lovely and virtuous family, a life- 
time of usefulness and comfort on earth, and a 
home of eternal rest in the future ? 



268 THE GOSPEL IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

It should ever be remembered that the Lord's 
inheritance is his people. They belong to him. 
They are his children, his heirs. And have they 
any right to go out from this inheritance and to 
marry one who is living in unbelief and sin ? Have 
they any privilege to marry an intemperate, or lust- 
ful, or impure man ? If they should do this they 
would despoil the Lord's inheritance. Too often, 
in doing this, they become lost to the Church, lost 
to Christ, and are swallowed up in worldliness or 
in sin. Better, far better, for Christian young women 
to marry Christian young men. Worldly women 
and worldly, sinful men may intermarry. They are 
on the same line ; they are walking the same road ; 
but Christians are different from worldlings. They 
are born of God, with the new and heavenly birth, 
and their relations are, in the highest forms, differ- 
ent from others. And if they intermarry only with 
the children of God then the inheritance of the 
Lord is untouched; then the children of such a 
union will be blessed of the Lord ; then, too, there 
will be comfort in the home. 

Then our sons will be " as plants grown up in 
their youth ; " and our daughters "as corner-stones, 
polished after the similitude of a palace." Happy 
is such a family; for God dwells in the midst of 
them ! 3477-4 

THE END. 



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